Bakura's Own Body
by Sarah the mutant farm girl
Summary: Bakura is placed in his own body and soon after finds out that he and Ryou are going to an American farm. Will this change of setting and body be enough to soften him or will it only make him stronger?
1. Out of the Ring and Into a Body

Ryou sat on the park bench fingering the ring around his neck waiting on Yugi to show up. Today was the day they were going to set his yami into his own body. Ryou was afraid of what it would do if once his yami had a body he began to beat him more often but that was a risk he was willing to take. All the possibilites ran through his mind but that wasn't safe his yami would soon be threatening him.   
  
/Ryou, I don't know what your planning but you had better calm your thoughts or you'll get the knife treatment tonight/his yami snarled.  
  
/Yes, Yami.....Yami?/ he began but stopped himself short when his yami growled.  
  
"Bakura? Bakura are you okay?".It wasn't Yugi it was his Yami the anicent pharao. Bakura looked up.  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine just thinking." he answered in his soft british accent.  
  
"The tomb robber hasn't harmed you has he?"  
  
"No, Yami he hasn't. No more than normal." he said as Yami sat down on the bench next to him showing him the brusises and cuts on his arm.He had been late home again the day before there for was issued the knife treatment.  
  
"Are you sure you want to do this? It will be dangerous."  
  
"Yes, I'm sure. Maybe if he is forced to live like a mortal he will understand that things have changed so much."  
  
"They've not changed as much as you think Bakura. Did you think this all the way through?"  
  
"Yes. Now please lets just do this." Ryou asked. He was growing annoyed with Yami's questioning. Yugi had given him the same treatment he wasn't a toddler and didn't need these two to treat him like one.  
  
"Alright."Yami nodded. The two stood up and walked silently to the cementary.   
  
Yami went to the chosen grave and the two acted as if they were there to pay respects. It was a fresh grave not dug but a week ago. Yami muttered under his breath in an ancient touge. Ryou pricked his finger when he was told and dripped a few drops of blood onto the ring then onto the grave. Nothing happened for a moment then a light formed from the ring and his yami stood next to them.   
  
"What in the name of Ra did you do?" he demanded of his lighter counter part. Yami stepped infront of them.  
  
"I did it Tomb Robber. You have your own body for one year, one week, and one day."  
  
"YOU DID THIS YOU FOOL." the tomb robber nearly yelled. But even he knew that it was improper to yell in a place of death.   
  
"There is more Yami. We aren't going to be here. Too many people know us we're going to a farm in America. We leave tomorrow." Ryou said flatly."Thank you Yami Yugi. I'll write you guys. This is to be good bye because I doubt we'll cross pathes again untill we return."   
  
"As do I. Bye Bakura, Tomb Robber. That is another promblem. What shall you be called. Tomb Robber's name turly is Bakura."  
  
"I've thought of that. I'll go by Ryou, and my yami can go as Bakura. We'll just say he perfers our last name. He is also going to be my brother."  
  
"Of how many years?"  
  
"16, should work I think." Bakura sat watching this exchange of words trying to comprehend what was going on. This was beyond anything he had ever expected.   
  
Ryou and his yami went back to his home. His father had had to work late again. Ryou had already packed his bags that were waiting in the living room. The house was silent and dark but that hardly mattered. It only took the two a few moments to get the house lite up and Bakura to start his ranting. Ryou had somehow taught his darker half english and the boy was now swearing in the three languages he knew.  
  
"You'll have to stop that Bakura. I've passed letters back and forth with the mother of this house hold and she seems to feel strongly against swearing." Ryou said as he entered the kitchen."You'll also be eating now. What would you like?"  
  
"I have to eat? Why would I want to do that? The food you fools eat now is strange and well I'm not eating." Bakura said stomping into the kitchen. Ryou sighed he should have known better than to think his yami would make things easy. He was childish and often violent nothing was ever going to be easy with him.   
  
"Whatever do what you like. No, if you would rather not eat don't." Ryou said with another heavy sigh. He figured if Bakura got hungry enough he would eat. His father had done the same to him when he was a toddler and after a while he came around. Bakura sat down at the kitchen table as Ryou made himself a sandwich.   
  
"Ryou, what made you want to do this? Put me in a body I mean." Bakura asked as Ryou sat down at the table.  
  
"I don't know, Yami. Maybe, I thought if you had your own body, and was forced to live as a mortal in this time period you would understand what makes me 'weak'. Why people don't just steal things or kill each other over little things."  
  
"People still kill each other and steal things for no reason Ryou. They just don't do it as often." Ryou watched his dark half lean his chair back on two legs. "You are aware that this means you will be getting an extra painful beating."  
  
"Well, I see that getting your own body hasn't helped your attitude any." Ryou mumbled under his breath.  
  
"Our link is gone. What did you do to it? I know your mind isn't strong enough to destroy it." Good he didn't notice I said anything  
  
"How many mortals do you know besides Yugi, Malik, and I who can talk to someone else with their minds?"  
  
"None."  
  
"You don't have your shadow powers either. You are just like anyother normal human." He had carefully chosen his words when he had explained this to his yami in his mind earlier that week. Bakura jumped up and was now standing right over his light. Ryou saw the hate in his eyes swelling, it was mangled with disappointment. Ryou had never thought that someones eyes could show so much conflict. Bakura's breathing was quick and heavy it showed as much anger as his eyes did hate. Ryou coward in his chair a mouthful of half chewed sandwich caught half way down his throat.  
  
"You have taken my powers, my connection to you, what else have you taken?" Ryou tried to come up with something to say though it didn't matter what he said something was sure to come.  
  
"Are you afraid to live for a year without your powers?" Ryou asked forcing his dinner the rest the way down. He had learned long ago that asking some one if they were afraid often got the job down a lot faster.Bakura raised his brow skeptically.  
  
"I've told you before that I don't fear anything." Bakura growled. Ryou knew that but he also knew Wheeler and he was often all talk. Everyone fears something. He reminded himself. He had been beat by Bakura too many times to let him get to him. Bakura was hard to impress though. He liked people who rebelled and were tuff but he also didn't want to be defied this could go either way. Bakura was still right above him not moving. I could try this again there is no telling what is going through his mind.  
  
"You think I can't feel anything. You think I'm not going to make it don't you?" Ryou knew Bakura didn't want an answer to this question. Ryou stared into his dark's eyes he wasn't going to back down this time. Every human feels compasion don't they? He asked himself. Bakura had taken the bait and had backed down......some. He was now back in his chair but still in a staring contest with Ryou.   
  
"I don't think you can't feel anything. I know you want everyone to think that. Because you think if you can't feel anything everyone will fear you therefore you will be able to gain what you like."Ryou countered with a yawn.  
  
"You had better go to bed you have a big day tomorrow." Bakura sighed. Ryou nodded and obeyed wondering what trap had been set. Besides it was true he had a long day ahead of him. This was also the first night in months he had gone to bed with out a beating. 


	2. Unwanted Suprises

Lilly stepped back from the show table keeping her left hand over the small opal   
  
mini lops eyes. She looked the rabbit over from a distance, before stepping back up to the   
  
table and picking the rabbit up tucking it in her arm like a foot ball.  
  
"Sandy's done good with this litter. You're a nice buck. Just glad you'll be off my   
  
hands soon." Lilly said as she walked down the rows of cages. She slid the rabbit back   
  
into its cage with its litter mates as her mother began calling."The woman doesn't miss a   
  
beat." she groaned. Listening carefully she decided she had about 2 minutes before her   
  
mother had got to the rabbit barn. Lilly dashed around the end of the middle row down the   
  
back of the barn and into the office. She turned up the radio in an empty attempt to ignore   
  
her mother's shrill voice. Lilly dropped into the desk chair and began to go over paper   
  
documenting deaths and diseases of the cattle in the past month.   
  
"Lillian I know your in here. I need to talk to you with your siblings." Lilly cringed   
  
at her birth name and tired to look completely consumed in her work as she mother   
  
opened the office door. The woman was shorter than her youngest daughter who stood   
  
about 5 or so feet tall, she had a shrill voice that would be perfect in Lilly's opinion to call   
  
the pigs, and was slightly on the chubby side but when she swelled up like a mother hen   
  
the way she was now she was almost frightening. Lilly saw her older brother, Justin, and   
  
younger sister, Serena, standing behind her mother.  
  
"What do you need Mama I'm sorta busy?" Lilly asked looking up over her   
  
notes of their oldest cows death.  
  
"Sit, you two and I'll tell all of you at once. Lillian you will tell Matthew when you   
  
two tend to the new steer." Mrs. Halse ordered her children. The two teens behind   
  
Mrs.Halse stepped into the small room and found their chairs in the office. "Where is   
  
Matthew anyway?" Justin shrugged their mother hadn't noticed how estranged the two   
  
boys had become in the last few months.  
  
"He is fixin' a break in the bottom link of the pasture fence." Lilly informed her   
  
mother.  
  
"Ahh well that's fine. You know how I've been talking to that boy from Japan?" all   
  
three teens nodded."Well he and his brother are taking the first flight out in the morning.   
  
They will be staying with us for the next year." she as always was short and to the point.  
  
"Why?" Lilly asked trying not to sound angry.  
  
"Don't question me Lillian. Now, get back to your chores." Mrs. Halse said   
  
before leaving the office room of the barn. All three siblings sat in silence for a moment   
  
before Lilly couldn't take it any more and slammed her folder back into the filing cabinet   
  
and stormed out of the room. She has no right bring city boys out here.  
  
A/N I know this chapter is short but I wanted to get it out. Things are hectic here and it will be a while untill I am able to put up another chapter. If there are any suggestions on what Bakura and Ryou can do on the farm I'm open to all of them. If I get enough reviews I will try and make more time to type this up. No promises, spring is here and it is the worst time on the farm. 


	3. Long Way From Home

Bakura woke early the next morning to the smell of something burning. He rolled over and found himself falling off the couch. He climbed sleeply from the floor to his feet, and followed the smoke trail to the kitchen. His light was standing there half dressed trying to cook what he figured would be breakfast if it hadn't burnt.  
  
"Good your up. Would you watch this please we're going to be late?" Ryou asked pushing Bakura infront of the stove before running out of the room. Bakura studied the brown, black, and yellow pile in the pan.  
  
"What the hell is this?" he asked out loud to no one in paticular. He stared at the pan watching it like he had been told to."Why am I even listening to Ryou? Why am I talking to myself?"he pulled up a chair and sat down. Searching his mind for answers to his questions. Ryou stormed back into the room frantic but dressed.  
  
"Yami! The eggs. I asked you to watch them there burnt now. Black!" Ryou half screamed. Bakura was jerked out of thought by his lights out burst. "I'm sorry. I am just a little rushed this morning." Ryou appologized as he turned off the stove and put the burnt eggs in the trash can. Bakura sat still watching Ryou run about the kitchen putting the dirty dishes in a stack in the sink and sweeping the floor. Bakura relized Ryou was about in tears, he couldn't understand what was going on. Bakura hadn't beat him or even talked to him this morning. It was to early for anything to have happened, but the great Theif King wasn't going to show worry about his other half untill there was an obvious reason for tears to flow.  
  
"I need to get dressed do we have clothes for me?" Bakura asked ignoring Ryou's pleading glances to ask what was wrong.  
  
"Yes, in the bathroom."Ryou said sniffling slightly. Bakura nodded and went to get dressed.  
  
**********  
  
Lilly lay awake it wasn't that late, but Matt had just left so there was really no reason to stay up. She listened while her older brother talked on the phone to his girl friend, her little sister did the dishes, and her parents talked well more like argued about the boys that would come the next day. Over dinner her mom had given a long list of things she had to do so Lilly had to go get the new kids.  
  
Excuses. That's all this is. Not wanting ot leave Serena and Matt home alone. I wasn't born yesterday. I know for a fact that Justin could cancle his little plans, to go get these rodents.  
  
Lilly's thoughts were broken by something hitting her window. She jumped out of bed and yanked open her window. She knew it would be Matt on the other side of the glass. He had crawled through her window a hundred times before normally to sneak up on Justin.  
  
"What do you want stable boy?" she asked teasing more than anything.  
  
"Well misstress Halse, I happened to notice that you weren't yourself at dinner tonight what's up?" Matt asked. His blue eys twinkled still teasing as always though his voice was serious and full of worry.  
  
"Nothing. Mom wants me to go pick up her new 'projects'." Lilly said shutting the window and going back to sit on her bed. Matt stood still."Sit you bafoon." she said justering to the desk and chair behind him. Matt sat down with a grin.  
  
"Want me to come along?"   
  
"Yeah, but she's making me take the forsaken truck." Lilly stated bitterly.  
  
"I never thought I would see the day that Lillian Halse would rather be with me than two perfect strangers." Matt smirked.  
  
"Shhh Mom will kill me if she finds out I let you in my window. And Don't ever call me Lilian, Mathew." Matt pulled a offended face when his full first name was used. Lilly smirked satisfied with her work."So what did you really want?"  
  
"Am I not aloud to check on my favorite Miss Halse?" Matt asked in a sugar coated voice.  
  
"No, your aloud to check on me anytime you like. But there is this new thing call a telephone. You should use it, not sneak in my window."  
  
"You never minded before. Besides you know Mandy is on the phone talking to Justin. I'd never get a word in. She's daddy's lil girl." Matt said scornfully.  
  
"Before we were ten and you just wanted in to paint Justin's face or pour water in his bed to make him think he wet the bed."  
  
"That was always fun." Matt laughed. Lilly gave him a rare smile before she jumped up.  
  
"Matt, you got to go. Someones coming. I'll see you tomorrow morning." Matt nodded as he climbed back out the window. Lilly shut it quickly behind him just in time for Serena to walk in.  
  
"Hey Sis. I thought you went to bed." Serena said closing the bed room door.  
  
"I did but I wanted to get a report done up for the new steer." Lilly lied as she flitered through the stacks of computer printouts on her desk. Serena nodded. Lilly was glad for once that her sister was dense. Serena grabbed her p.j.s and left the room to go take a shower.  
  
*************  
  
Ryou had called a cab, packed all the lugage in the car, paid for it, and got him and Bakura through the air port and Bakura hadn't asked why he was so upset. Nor had he even acted as if he had noticed. This didn't suprise him one bit. Yami and Yugi seemed closer than he and his yami were. As far as Malik and Marik went they were both off their rockers one just more than the other but it was often hard to tell which one that was. Bakura was amazed by everything on the plane though he didn't say it. Ryou had learned to read his yami. It had been hard at first, but after a while he just understood him with out questions.  
  
"Dears, would you like anything?" a blonde flight attendent asked.  
  
"No, thank you ma'am." Ryou answered her knowing it best not to let Bakura do alot of talking if he wanted to make it through this trip with out big problems. The woman nodded and continued on her way down the row. Ryou fell in and out of sleep during the 6 hour flight. When he was awoken by the same attendent that he had talked to earlier.  
  
"I'm sorry honey but were there and there's a nice young lady waiting for you on the other side." she said straightening up.  
  
"Thank you miss."  
  
"Just doing my job." she said walking off. Ryou then turned to wake Bakura. He grabbed their carry-on bags and exited the plane. There was indeed a girl waiting for them. She couldn't have been much older than he was if she was older at all. She looked every aggitated.  
  
"Hello. Please tell me your the Bakura brothers." the girl said a pleading look flashing in her green eyes.  
  
"Yes, we are. I'm Ryou and he prefers .to be called by our last name." Ryou stated holding out a hand. The girl shook it.   
  
"I'm Lilly Halse. Mom had somethings to do so she sent me to pick you up." the girl said with drawing her hand. Ryou noted how caullased her hand was and that it felt more like a man's hand then one of a girl. Besides the size he would have sworn other wise.  
  
"It's okay." Ryou said. Bakura gave a small nodd toward the girl, who did the same back. Ryou knew this wasn't going to be easy, and it didn't seem like this girl was going to let it be any easier.  
  
Lilly helped Ryou with the bags and led them out of the building to a beat up old pick up truck. Ryou couldn't decide if it was red or orange but it was every rusted. Lilly threw their bags in the back of the pick up, before climbing into the cab and unlocking the doors. Ryou got in and sat between the two. The ride was mostly high ways and passed by slowly seeing as no one could decide on a radio station. Lilly didn't say anything untill they got on back roads that kept crossing over dirt roads.  
  
"You boys ever been to the country side?"   
  
"No, not really." Ryou said truthfully.  
  
"Pity, I hear the English countryside is amazing."   
  
Once they pulled in the drive way Ryou realized exactly what he had gotten himself into. The house was small made of stone and logs it had an almost cabin like look to it. There were at least three barns that he could see and a long empty streach before a shoadowy line of trees apeared. He was stuck for a year in the middle of no where, with his abusive yami, and a family of farmers.   
  
"Com'on its not so bad really."Lilly said jumping out of the truck before climbing up in to the bed and tossing their bags out."I'll take you in show you to your rooms and while you get settled I'll find Matt. His is the only car here."she said nodding to a small white car.   
  
*********  
  
Lilly took them inside the house and up to their room. She left them there unpacking and went down to the kitchen. She wasn't surprised to find a roast in the oven and a note on the table for her.  
  
"It pretty much says that she and Serena had to go watch the hellians, I'm in the barn, one of the horses is lame so I'm tending to it, and your father and brother are where they always are." a voice said behind her. Lilly turned around reconizing the voice at once.  
  
"Thank God. Who is lame?" Lilly asked Matt.  
  
"Uhh Chip. I swear that horse is more troubble than he's worth."  
  
"Yeah, well its the only one Serena will ride. When should Mom be home."  
  
"Don't know. Their dad is working late so that really means he didn't want to go home sober and their mom had a very important appointment with the shrink."Lilly smirked.  
  
"It could be hours. Okay, then I'll work on dinner. Mom's new projects are in their room if you wanna go meet them."  
  
"I'll do that. I want to see what all the fuss is about."  
  
Once Matt left it was only a matter of minutes before all three boys were in the kitchen.  
  
"Com'on Sis lets show them around. Mom won't be her for a while." Matt said putting his arm around Lillys shoulder.  
  
"Sis huh? Not by a long shot Mathew. But yeah lets show them around better now than listen to Mom yell later."   
  
"He's your brother?" Ryou asked.  
  
"No, this is Matt he gets paid to hang out here."she said shrugging him off and jumping out of the way when he tried to hit her.  
  
"I do more that 'hang out'." Matt protested sounding every bit like a toddler.  
  
"Yeah. Yeah. What do you wanna see first? Theres the woods, animals, pond,...am I forgetting anything?" Matt shook his head.  
  
"We are a long way from home." Ryou said as they stepped out the back door. 


	4. Not Just a Girl

Disclaimer: Do I really have to say I don't own this?  
  
***********  
  
  
  
Ryou laid very still on the top bunk light had only begun to creep in the window   
  
so he knew it was around 5. Lilly had been awake for nearly a hour. He thought she would   
  
go back to bed after she let her dog out but when she had returned to her room there was   
  
a squabble inside and now she was in the kitchen. He smelled coffee, and could hear   
  
something frying, but didn't dare to go down to see what she was cooking.   
  
"Ryou, are you a wake?" he heard Bakura ask from the bed under his.  
  
"Yeah, Yami."  
  
"Why don't you go see why on earth that girl is up already?"  
  
"Okay." Ryou climbed down but stopped before he got to his bedroom door. He   
  
heard someone else down there now. "You hear that?"   
  
"Yeah, sounds like the hired hand, boy. She'll be outside soon now." Bakura   
  
said rolling over. Ryou shook his head and left the room doing as his dark half had told   
  
him. Once he reached the bottom of the stairs the dog was there growling at him.  
  
"Gretz come here. Hush Girl." Lilly called to the dog but it didn't back down. Matt   
  
came around the corner and grabbed the dogs collar.  
  
"Shut up moron you're gonna get the whole house up." he scolded the dog   
  
before looking up to see what her problem had been."Oh. Morning Ryou,......Right?" Matt   
  
drug the dog away and Ryou came off the stairs.  
  
"Yeah. Uh Why are you two up so early?" he asked feeling like an idiot.   
  
"Feed day." Lilly said shortly before cursing at the frying pan that had just popped   
  
grease and burnt her hand.  
  
"Means, we're up cause no one else will go get the feed, and we have to get all   
  
our chores done too. But we're up around this time everyday any who. Ya wanna eat or   
  
ya can go back to bed?" Matt explained. Lilly put Gretchen, the German Shepard outside   
  
when she went back to growl at Ryou.  
  
"I'll eat. Can't get back to sleep anyway." he decided. Lilly shot Matt a look like   
  
he'd just invited her worst nightmare to eat with them.  
  
"Pull ya up a chair then kid. Plates and glasses are in the cabinet over your right   
  
shoulder." Lilly said.   
  
"Don' worry 'bout it. I'll get you a spot set you go get dressed." Matt said   
  
reminding Ryou of one of the rules he'd been told to follow 'must be dressed before   
  
coming down stairs in the morning'. Ryou shuffled back up stairs to get dressed.  
  
******  
  
Lilly was ready to kill Matt. They had just been talking about the two city boys   
  
and he went and invited him to eat breakfast with them, then to come along. She   
  
grumbled as she locked Gretchen in the back stall of the first barn. Lilly knew that this boy   
  
wasn't going to like the fact that she was about to steal her brothers truck to go get feed   
  
in. Their grandparents had given it to him for his 16th birthday, she had gotten a   
  
hand-me-down which wasn't big enough to pick up all the feed, and had tendencies to   
  
break down.   
  
Borrow with out asking but full intent of returning.  
  
She reminded herself not being comfortable with stealing. She pressed the key   
  
into her palm. She saw Matt and Ryou talking at the top of the hill hovering around the   
  
truck. She figured Matt was explaining something else to the kid. He seemed to be pretty   
  
smart, but was clueless about what she considered everyday things. Reaching the truck   
  
she unlocked it and handed Matt the keys. He always drove because he refused to let her   
  
drive him anywhere.   
  
"All aboard." Matt called needlessly because all three were already in the truck.   
  
He grinned insanely as he revved the engine and peeled out of the drive.  
  
"You don't drive much do you?" Ryou asked. Lilly fought off a smirk at the fact   
  
that he was a green color as they took to the twisting back roads.  
  
"The roads are built around the crick, and peoples property lines. Nuttin' is a   
  
straight line. More like zig zags and swerves 'till ya get into town."she said for the first   
  
time in years enjoying the neck break speed Matt used knowing there was no one around   
  
this early.  
  
"You gonna be okay kid? You look a bit green?" Matt asked looking over to see   
  
why Lilly had handed out obvious information.  
  
"Yeah, but can you slow down?" Ryou choked out.   
  
By the time they reached the feed store in the middle of town the sun was   
  
completely up. It was nearly 8 once Lilly threw the last bag in the bed. She gave the truck   
  
a pat as if it were a dog who'd just done a trick.  
  
"Thank ya kids. If you need anything yall got my number." Mr. Jones, the old   
  
man that owned the feed store called from the door.  
  
"Yes, sir. Your on speed dial. See ya next month." Lilly said as she joined Matt   
  
and Ryou in the cab.  
  
*******  
  
Bakura figured he was better off than Ryou, Matt and Lilly hadn't missed a   
  
chance the night before to bicker. He sat alone at the kitchen table hugging his cup of   
  
coffee he had never had the stuff but the black-ish brown liquid was perfect on this   
  
particular morning. Justin and his mother were arguing in the living room something about   
  
a stolen truck, and the other girl had yet to be seen. From the way Lilly and Matt had   
  
talked about her she was a mess all the time. But neither would tell Ryou what her true   
  
problem was though he gathered it had something to do with a trail ride gone horribly   
  
wrong. As he finished off his third cup of coffee the said girl entered the room. She was   
  
dressed in all black the only color to the out fit was red letters on the shirt spelling out   
  
"Troubled", she had stringing black hair with two single white strands hanging down to   
  
frame her face, black lipstick, and dramatic eye liner.  
  
"Hello new comer. I'm Serena. Which one are you? Wait let me guess your   
  
Bakura." she asked sliding down in the chair across from his.   
  
"Yes, how did you know?"  
  
"I saw you both, last night. You're the bigger one." she said simply."So where is   
  
everyone?"  
  
"Your mother said that Matt, Lilly, and Ryou went to pick up feed."  
  
"Shoot. That means they took Bubba's truck with out me."   
  
"That's what they did? Ryou would never....." Bakura entertained the thought for   
  
a few minutes. Serena nearly fell out of her chair when the argument in the other room   
  
entered the kitchen.   
  
"I've.....uh...I got to go see you at dinner." the thin girl said before taking off up   
  
the stairs to her room. Bakura decided not to stick around as Mrs. Halse began to throw   
  
out punishments. He wandered outside looking for something to do.  
  
**********  
  
Ryou chewed mercilessly at his bottom lip as the truck turned the last corner   
  
and the small house came into view. As soon as they pulled into the drive Bakura   
  
appeared out of no where jumping up and down on one foot. Lilly swung out of the cab of   
  
the truck before it had completely stopped.  
  
"Hi! There's a funny looking animal down there." Bakura said nodding down the   
  
hill behind the barn.  
  
"What did it look like?" Matt asked waving at Justin who had stormed out of the   
  
house.  
  
"It was grey-ish and had a bare tail." Bakura said switching to his left foot and   
  
continuing to hop.  
  
"Opossum." Lilly said before disappearing into the nearest barn.  
  
"What she off about?" Ryou asked leaning against the truck as he steadied   
  
himself. He had never been car sick before but Matt had made the truck jerk around so   
  
much his breakfast had threatened to come up several times.  
  
"Uh.. We've had several chickens come up missing. More often than not that   
  
means we have some vermin around." Matt supplied. Lilly appeared out of the barn and   
  
didn't so much as glance over to the group of boys before taking off down the hill a rifle   
  
rested on her shoulder.   
  
"MATTHEW! We need to talk but first where did my baby sister just go?" all three   
  
turned around to see an angry Justin. Ryou gnawed at his lip again drawing blood this   
  
time. He sucked the metallic deep red liquid into his mouth.  
  
"Don't worry 'bout Lils she'll be fine. Here's your keys we won't do it again and   
  
yes I know you'll discuss a pay cut with your father." Matt said. Ryou began to follow his   
  
other half as Bakura began down the hill. Matt quickly had both of them by the shoulders.   
  
"No, don't go down there at the moment." Before Matt could finish his explanation a rifle   
  
shot was heard, then a victorious laugh from Lilly.  
  
"She got the little devil. See? See? Do you see that thing Ry?" Bakura asked   
  
now bouncing on two feet.  
  
"Yes, Yami we see." Ryou said looking around the barn to see Lilly coming up.   
  
Over her left shoulder the rifle rested and in her right hand she held the tail of the   
  
opossum.   
  
"Little sister don't miss when she aims her gun." she said in a sing song voice   
  
as she tossed the dead animal at Justin's feet and entered the barn to put the rifle back.  
  
"See, Jus told ya she'd be fine. Always is. As dependable as us takin' da truck   
  
next time." Matt grinned.  
  
"Bakura, what have you been doing?" Ryou asked his 'older brother'.  
  
"Mrs. Halse....No she said to call her Karen or Mrs.H, but she gave me coffee. I   
  
had 3 cups. I feel like a could run circle around all of Egypt." Ryou sighed at the moronic   
  
idea of drinking 3 cups of coffee the first time he ever tasted it.   
  
"Look Big Brother, I only take the truck on feed day, I always return it safe and   
  
sound, and you never miss anything important. So don't act as if this is really a problem   
  
and if it is you can pick up the feed next time." Ryou noted that Lilly was acting like   
  
Mokuba as she pulled the pure innocent look that only younger siblings can make work.  
  
"I promise Big Bother, we won't hurt your truck." she tried once again this time   
  
succeeding in making her brother melt.  
  
"Fine but only once a month." Justin caved.  
  
"Great. Now I need that in writing." Lilly pulled a folded piece of paper out of her   
  
pocket with a pen and handed it to her brother. "Sign on the dotted line. Don't worry it only   
  
says that you intrust you truck to Matt and me on the third Saturday of every month." Lilly   
  
said as she forced the pen in her brothers hand.   
  
Mokuba wouldn't try that, but he defiantly has competition for the most crafty   
  
younger sibling contest.   
  
The rest of the morning and well into the afternoon Ryou spent watching his   
  
dark half. Matt and Lilly had put him to work helping them with the feed bags and taking   
  
care of the animals. No one seemed surprised by Justin being gone all day, Serena   
  
staying in her room, nor Mrs. Halse staying on the computer playing solitaire. Matt and   
  
Lilly didn't fight as much as the day before though neither missed a chance to call the   
  
other a name. Dinner that night was especially quiet. Matt had gone home for dinner,   
  
Justin hadn't return, Mr. Halse was working late, and Serena had refused to leave her   
  
room.  
  
S/N: There will be no update on this story for a while. I have testing coming up and Mom and Dad are cramming the school work. I won't have time to type anything but reports for at least a month everything is over in May, then I have 4-H stuff to get done. I'll do my best to pull something together but no promises. *beats head on wall* Besides I can't come up with a way to write down all the thought for the next chapter. 


	5. You want me to WHAT?

"I Own none of these characters.....DUH  
  
A/N: I've not been online for awhile Mom had us changed to DSL through Sprint. It has been down in Ohio for almost two weeks now. I finally got her to get us back on AOL so I'm back.  
  
Lilly looked back over her sketch. She'd been up most the night trying to get the new boys folders done. This was it a quick sketch of each of them. They were horribly drawn but they were done. Matt would pull in and pick up his last check before he went to Florida.   
  
"Sis what in the name of the great Loki are you doing?" Serena asked from her bed on the other side of the room.  
  
"Loki was the Norse god of destruction, and I'm finishing the folder reports on the new yuppy boys." Lilly answered her younger sister.  
  
"Lillian would you at least use there names?"  
  
"Nah."She said as Matt pulled in the drive way."Got to run. You coming out to help today? No, Matt and I'm going to show the new ones how to milk."  
  
"Yeah, I'll show up later." Lilly shook her head and ran out side. To meet Matt in the drive.  
  
"Hey. You got my money?" Matt called from the back seat of the minni van.  
  
"Yeah."she answered pulling open the sliding door. She stepped back when a suit case tried to ecscape.  
  
"Sorry. Mom and Dad think were going to live down there or something. Its only two weeks."  
  
"Hurry up boy. We've got to get moving before we miss the plane." Matt's dad yelled from the drivers seat.  
  
"Hello Mr.Williams."  
  
"Hi, Lilly." he replied more of a grunt than anything.  
  
"Matt, its the speacial pay check don't spend it all in one place and tell Grams and Gramps I say hi and send my love." Lilly said handing over an envelope. By speacial she meant that it was his check in which she had added her own money to because he deserved it and would need it where he was going. Matt stepped out of the van gave Lilly a one armed hug manging a thank you in her ear.  
  
"Call ya when we get there." he added climbing back in to the furthest back of the seats.  
  
"You better. Bye guys see ya school start." she nodded to Mr and Mrs. Williams in the front seat before closing the door and heading back inside. Time to start breakfast.  
  
Ryou groaned any movement made him ache. Not that being still was easy. He'd not gotten much sleep last night and Lilly had promised a suprise. The last one ended with him cornered in a pen by an angry cow. Of course Matt daring Bakura to try and tip the sleeping cow didn't help. Ryou slid into the kitchen chair trying his best not to pull or streach any of the already pulled and streached muscles. Bakura smirked hiding behind his favorite new drink.  
  
"I'll get you something for the aches and pains in the barn. I had to move it do the barn after Gretz got in it. Dumb dog." Lilly comented nugging the sleeping dog at her feet.  
  
"What's todays suprise?" Ryou asked curiously. Lilly only gave him a 'if i were to tell it wouldn't be a suprise' face he was painfully used to. Bakura had a similiar look when he had thought up a new punishment. It was at this moment a strange girl he had only glimpsed walked into the room. Today dressed in jeans about two sized to small and a shirt that was about that to big. She grinned pulling the mess of unkept black hair back in a butterfly clip and dropping in to a chair next to Bakura.  
  
"Sis what's the grub this morning?" she asked. He noted her voice was calmer but more excited that her sister's. They were total opposites from what he had seen.  
  
"Talking like that I'll get ya some grubs and you'll eat everyone of them. I made for the civilized people waffles." Lilly said slidding a plate toward her sister.  
  
"You mean pop-up waffles." she said making her eyes huge when she said pop -up.  
  
"Whatever. Bakura your done you can bring your coffee with you but I need you to come with me. Sis would you mind clearing the table and leading the small one to the barn. I told you which one." Ryou cursed in wordly, a bad habbit from his yami, when she didn't drop any clues. There was an upside to this morning he wasn't going to have to hear Bakura complain about the state of Lilly's pocket knife and Matt hadn't showed his face yet. Lilly stood up and left the house followed by Bakura and her dog.  
  
"Don't let her get to you. I'm Serena we've not had a chance to talk. She does like you guys. She just has a hero that prevent her from showing any emotion. She's not really as cold as she lets on."  
  
"Whose her hero?" Ryou asked shocked that someone like Lilly idolized anyone but herself.  
  
"Uhh I can't tell. I value my life today. So don't say I said anything."  
  
"What did you say?" Bakura asked unsure he had heard the girl right. She had pushed all his buttons but reminded him of some one he just didn't know who. He was used to the chores now. Simple really. Clean a stall check the clip board on its door it will tell you what and how much to feed. Water was supplied out side you dump bowls in the morning filled them in the evening. The two of them didn't butt heads as much as her and her farm hand. Mathew and her could perdict eachothers every move. Even what the other would say most of the time. Being able to do this caused them to argue just to hear their own voices he thought. But she gave simple orders watched a couple of times then went her own way. They had done everything except the milking.  
  
"I said I'm teaching you to milk today. Are your hands cold?" she repeated slowly."It's really easy.We put them in these stands then you get a bucket from the tack room. The rest I'll show you when your brother and my sister make their appearence." Lilly said with a confident smirk.   
  
Smug thats what she is. She knows whats going on and we don't so she going to treat us like todlers. Stupid.  
  
"Do you understand?"   
  
"Yes." he growled. She never looked up from the horse she was tending. She paid him as much attention as a fly. He was obviously no big deal to her. He watched her rubb the geldings leggs trying to find the spot causing him problems. She amazed him. He had seen several girls back in Japan but none of them were like her. The second day he was on the farm she started a fight with Matt and they threw rabbit manure back and forth at each other.  
  
"I've got a cousin coming in today. He should be here around 4-ish"  
  
"And?" She reminded him of someone but who. He was starting to remeber things from his life. He wasn't sure if this was the spell or doing things the long, hard way. She could be a skilled thief if she had a chance but he relized that in the area she lives and time that it isn't possible. There's nothing worth the effort.  
  
"And I wanted you to know. He'll be taking two of the horses back with him. But he'll be spending alot of time here. He's Matt's fill in. Soon you guys will understand the ropes well enough that you will do what you like and your chores with out trouble." Bakura rolled his eyes. This was stupid. Just foolish. He wasn't" going to shovle stalls, plow feilds, or milk the cows.  
  
"Sis we're ready. What's wrong with Chip?"Serena asked pushing Bakura out of the way and stepping into the stall.  
  
"He knocked his shoe lose; I think. Mr.Morise will be here this after noon to check him. That and he's got a cut on his hock looks like he's been playin' with Loki."  
  
"I'll give you the money later. He's adding it to the month's total right?"  
  
"Uh huh. Come on boys; we've got to get them set up Ser and I'll do most the work you just watch today." Lilly said standing up and patting the horse. She then led the way out of the stable to the goat barn. Next to the main building there was a little lean-to. There were odds and ends in there. The stands, some hay bales, and a barrel of grain. It had been refered to as the tack stall. Though Bakura saw little reason in that. Lilly took Ryou and went to get the two goats in milk while Serena showed him how much hay to give them.  
  
"I know Lilly is riding your butt but she'll get better. She was the same when Matt first started coming out."  
  
"What are we really doing. This has't to be a joke you aren't seriously going to make me milk a goat." he protested. He might be the King of Theives but he wasn't above finding the weakest link and pushing on it till it breaks. Serena smilled.  
  
"Nah. Just mess it up several times and she'll advetually give up."  
  
"Honestly?"  
  
"She has no patience for mess ups the will be gotten rid of as soon as possible."   
  
There was little time for talking after that. Lilly and Serena showed them how to milk the goats. Bakura did as Serena had instructed and managed to shot himself and Ryou in the face trying to milk the goat. After that he was sent to check the water levels. Ryou did very well which shocked him.  
  
A/N Sorry on how long this chapter has taken like a said at the top. I'll be quicker on the next one thanks bye. 


	6. The first ride

Lilly shook her head how could that boy shoot himself in the eye? It was impossible. It really didn't matter but without Matt this was going to be one of the hardest days yet. Of course today had a huge upside no matter what happened. Chris, Aunt Polly, and Uncle Greg were going to be home that morning and Chris would be over around 2 or 3. Lilly strained the foam and filth off the top of the milk she was boiling. Serena was supossed to be stable showing the boys how to tack a horse. Though knowing her she was telling them horror stories about getting thrown. Lilly poured the boiled milk in a jug and put it in the fridge before going to join the others. She stopped at the barn door listening to Serena.  
  
"Lilly's not that bad. She's really soft. You'll see that when she is working with the horses. Which one did you want to saddle? That one is Seth, Loki, Athena, Zeus, Mercury,....." her voice trailed off as she named the horses heading toward the other end of the barn. Lilly slipped in the door and climbed up the ladder built into the wall to perch in the rafters.Serena continued to give the names of the horses. All names of gods. Seth and Loki were two of her favorites but that was only because they had both been speacial needs as colts. She positioned herself over Seth's stall he had his head hanging out the stall door watching the new comers. Lilly swung down into the stall and ran her hand over the horse letting him know she was there. Lilly watched her sister and the two boys enter Odin's stall. She slipped out of the stall and went into the tack room and grabbed Seth's reins and saddle. She waited untill the others had gone in another stall and went back to Seth's she tacked him up then went to join the others.  
  
"So whats taking so long? Seth is ready to go you guys decide yet?"  
  
"No, sis. Wait you just got here how did you...... the rafters?"Serna mummbed.  
  
"Yep and you said just dropping in on him would create problems." Lilly teased. Thor the huge dun behind her snorted as if he too had caught the joke. Lilly turned to him and rubbed her hand over his muzzle up to his pole pushing back his bangs and kissed him between the eyes."Even the almighty Thor knows nothing spooks Seth. How could it though?"  
  
"Oh I don' know despite his name he's still a horse." Serena shot back quickly.  
  
"I liked the one back there, Athena." Ryou spoke up seeing as the two girls had forgotten his presence and were about to start a fight.  
  
"Okay I'll help you saddle up. Serena Mr. Morise will be here soon so don't saddle Chip."  
  
"Is Chip your only non-god name for the horses?" Ryou asked as he followed the older of the two girls.  
  
"Yeah. He's a direct import from the poney penning days. He was wild when we got him. Grand dad went to the acution and got him for me. He thought I needed a challenge. Instead Ser ended up getting thrown once he was ridable. She hit a tree pretty hard. Was in the ICU for a while. They had her in a drug induced coma. She didn't want to lay still she kept saying she had to go do something."  
  
"How did you get Athena?" Ryou asked sounding nervous.  
  
"She was born in Kentucky daughter of a race horse. She's a nice mare. Not as fast as her father but still she's in pretty good shape. I spoil her a bit and don't keep her as conditioned as I should. But still she's a nice girl." A few of the horses reached out to sniff the white haired boy. He hadn't been to close to any of them. He had gathered buckets and messured out the feed while Lilly or Matt took it to the animals. Lilly stopped infront of an almost pure snow white horse. She was breath taking even if Lilly had been with her scince she was 3.  
  
"She an easy rider?" Ryou asked as Lilly led him into the stall.  
  
"Oh yeah. If she goes a little to fast tell her to ease up and she'll slow down a little. If she does something you don't like head her for a fence. But not the gate. Stand in here I'll go get her saddle and reins. She's rolled in the dirt too so I'll need to grab a brush." Lilly left Ryou standing there in udder confusion. She glanced down the aile to see her sister still trying to get Bakura on a horse. She got Athena's tack and came back. She found Ryou backed into a corner with Athena sniffing around his pockets. Lilly whistled.  
  
"Tennie." the horse turned and looked at her, giving her the what do you want look."Don't go there baby girl. He don't have anything. If your good I'll get you a treat." Lilly said tossing the saddle on the mare's back and pulling up the cinch. She then fit the bit in her mouth and buckled it in place."Ryou we can get started or wait on the other two."  
  
"I've got no idea what I'm doing so why don't we go and start." Lilly nodded and led Athena and Ryou out of the barn into a small fenced in circle.She put Athena in and went back for Seth.  
  
"How do I get up?" Ryou asked sounding strangly like a 5 year old. Lilly gave him what she hoped to be a reasurring smile and beckoned him closer.  
  
"Put your left foot in this stirup grab the horn then heave your body up and put the other leg over." She instructed.  
  
Ryou managed to get his left foot in the stirup only to fall on his butt. Lilly chocked back a laugh helped him back up and then grabbed him around the waist lifting him up off the ground and sitting him back down.  
  
"Good you're not too heavey. Here step into my hand and I'll give you a boast." Ryou did as he was told and found himself being lifed up. He slid over onto the horse and Lilly handed him the reins.   
  
"uhh umm" he studdered. Lilly once again gave him a small smile.  
  
"If your afraid she'll know if and pick up on that. Just relax don't get cocky. She's english trained so thats direct reining."  
  
"What does that mean?"   
  
"Pull left to go left right for right back to stop or go backwards. Don't put alot of pressure on her mouth or she'll throw her head." Ryou tried to process all of this information at once and then relized he didn't know how to start. He looked down at Lilly who was just staring a spot off in the distance.  
  
"How do I go?"  
  
"Easy kick her in the side. Nothing hard just a easy squeeze more or less to go faster squeeze tighter." Lilly said smaking the horses rump and heading for Seth who was standing patiently to the side. She swung up on his back with more grace than she had displayed the whole time he knew her. She started out slow making easy circle in the pen soon she had broke out in a run and positioned herself low to Seth she urged him forward faster making larger circles. Ryou got Athena started walking slowly. He moved chopy with the mare. Lilly pulled to a stop next to Ryou.  
  
"Ryou move with her. You've got to post."  
  
"How do I do that?" Lilly smirked she patted Seth's neck and whispered something in his ear. The horse snorted and started at a slow trot and Lilly at intervals would stand up and sit down. It was so smooth it was a fluid motion. After two circles she stopped at his side.   
  
"You try now. It's hard to start with but it'll get easier later."  
  
"How long have you been riding?"  
  
"Uhh....Grand Dad used to ride with me when I was really little. I've been riding on my own scine I was like 3 or 4. I grew up on a horses back."   
  
"Hey Sis. He wants Thor."  
  
"Yeah and? Let him ride Thor. Just have to make sure Thor don't decide to show off."  
  
"Whatever." Serena dissapeared again and Ryou started forward again trying to post he could do it sort of. He would do really good untill change of pace. Bakura came out leading the huge dun Lilly had kissed Serena a few minutes behind him came over and tied a black and white horse to the post as a strange looking man set up buckets and a stand. Ryou watched Lilly ride straight to the fence and dismount before the horse even stopped.  
  
"Lilly I've told you before you're gonna break something doing that." the man yelled.  
  
"Ahh Rock, you know I feel no pain."  
  
"Then maybe you'd like my job." He grinned he was missing most of his teeth, had a grubby beard, and over all reminded Ryou of the villians in the old western movie."I know 'em ain't your mamma's, where'd ey 'ome from?"  
  
"They're staying with us for a while. You'll see them around here alot." Serena explained pulling out a set of steps from the barn."Bakura you'll have to mount using this. I can't lift you and your not tall enough to mount Thor."  
  
"So missy what's buggin' ol' Chip?"   
  
"Lose shoe. You were supossed to come out next week to replace them I talked with Al and she said you'd go ahead and do that today."   
  
"Alrighty. Uhh where's da boys?"  
  
"Chris gets home today and Matt left today. How's Al doin?" Lilly asked climbing on to the top bar on the fence.   
  
"Pretty good. She's picked out a name for the baby."  
  
"Well..." Serena promted.   
  
"If its a girl she wants to name it Mahala and if its a boy she wants to name it Ace."   
  
"This is a baby's name?" Ryou asked on his way around.   
  
"Of course. Well a foal but still." Lilly answered."What did you think?"  
  
Mr. Moorise changed Chip's shoes and left. Lilly and Serena raced several times around the pen. Thor wasn't couporating and Bakura ended up getting thrown once but that was his own fault.They rode untill they were to sore to dismount. Which turned out only to take about 45 minutes. Lilly untacked the horses and put them away. Ryou wandered around the farm both girls had spent every spare moment talking about someone named Chris. He should have been arriving any moment now.  
  
I'm not posting anymore untill more people reveiw. I'm still open for things you would like to see Ry and Kura incounter here. 


	7. No Good Protesting

Ryou layed sprawled out on a bench by the pond. He had taken to hiding for a little while. Every muscle in his body ached. Lilly and Serena hadn't had any problem riding at more that a trot but he was aching from a walk. No one had said a word about that though. In fact Lilly said it was perfectly normal. He had no idea where Bakura was and really didn't care. So he relaxed as much as possible and listend to the water of the pond rush out into a near by stream, and the ducks and other water birds fight for room to swim. It wasn't untill he heard someone pull in the drive. He manuvered himself off the bench and half walked half waddled back to the barn yard and up the drive way.   
  
"You evil little snot. You left me here all alone with them and didn't even call." Lilly called at the boy stepping out of the pick up in the drive way.  
  
"You idotic butt wipe. You called me every night just to tell me everything was fine. I was on vacation." he called back just as easily. Ryou listened to them insult and scold each other. Lilly strode up to this boy and looked like she was going to slap him instead she hugged him. Serena then came out of no where running toward the other boy.  
  
"Chrissy you've come back." she too hugged the boy.  
  
"You'd think I was missed." Chris said with a strange little smirk.  
  
"Of course you weren't. Like we'd ever need another young able bodied worker. Why on earth would we need that?" Lilly questioned.  
  
"Aww come on Lils. You know ya missed me a little bit." he said with a goofiest look Ryou had ever seen. Lilly stepped away from the boy crossing her arms and turned her back to him.  
  
"You didn't even tell me you were leaving untill the night before you took off. Honestly Boy you think I want someone working here who won't even tell is flesh and blood he's going away for two months?" she said sounding.......human. 'Chrissy' then pulled the back of her shirt making her fall into his waiting arms.  
  
"Com'on Sissy. If I'd told you,Ya'd gone and got yourself all worked up. It's best if I waited."   
  
Ryou had never heard anyone call Lilly Sissy. For that matter he had never seen anyone talk so mockingly to her. He had only seen her as the tough as nails farm manager. She seemed so much smaller as she leaned back fully intrusting this kid. Lilly gave him a weak smile and nodded.  
  
"We cool then?" Chis asked.  
  
"As if there was ever a doubt." Lilly said lunging forward and taking Chris' hand."Lets go over view our stock, Chris."  
  
After this Serena seemed to walk off disappearing again. Ryou was begining to think there was something going on here. He wasn't sure what it was but it was certinally not what he had in mind.  
  
Lilly sat in the cabin out in the woods reading the last chapter in the Anubis Slayings. She had finally found away to protest her mother's taking in the two white haired freaks. School started in 12 days and they both dressed like nerds, though she was quiet sure that the oldest didn't like it. Chris had been the one to suggest staying in Grandpa's cabin but besides that he was of little help on the topic. Grethchen was sleeping infront of the door and Thor was in the pad lock next to the cabin.  
  
"Gretz what do you think of staying here till school starts?" she asked making noise for the sake of noise. The old dog moan in response. Lilly smiled getting up and going to the kitchen. As long as she was out here she'd be sane at least.  
  
Ryou coward at his feet. He kicked his stomache making him collapse on the ground. Ryou groaned. This earned him yet another kick. Blood trickled down his forehead from hitting the night stand on his way to the floor. The smaller boy made no movement of protest or even to stop the blood. His eyes rolled in to the back of his head and Ryou passed out. Bakura left him lay on the ground and went to lay on his bed watching the younger boy bleed out. It wasn't enough to kill him but it was still watching someones blood spill. As the puddle grew Bakura grew bored and he woke his lighter half.  
  
"Daddy?" Ryou moaned.  
  
"Not, by far boy. Get up and go clean yourself up. Dinner is soon." Bakura sneered. Ryou complied moving shakily from the ground to his feet. Bakura sat down on the ground and moved his fingers through the blood puddle."I'll figure this all out if its the last thing I do." 


	8. School

Disclaimer: If I really owned any of this or was making money from it would I be posting it on a website? Now let's uses our heads.

**a/n** Thanks Trinn, I fixed for you.

**School**

Ryou turned on the sink, locked the door and sat down on the marron toilet seat cover. He had learned long ago that there was little, if any, reason for Bakura's attacks. He had learned to shoulder them and did his best not to cry when they came. Or at least not infront of Bakura. As he drifted in and out of coniousness he heard a small voice out side the door.  
"Ryou?" it questioned. He moaned unable to make any other noise as he fell to the floor with a hpht sort of sound. He heard foot steps then nothing then more footsteps and the lock on the door being picked. His world went black and white then completely black. He was faintly aware of small arms gently picking him up and craddling him as whom ever washed his faced and rocked him humming a sweet tune he'd never heard before. The the tune had words and a beautiful voice of an angel began to sing. "I go out walking after midnight. Out in the starlight.." the words drifted off as his eyes flickered open. The first thing he saw was a girl with black hair looking down at him. He then realised he was on a bed in a girl's room. She gave him a small smile. " I saw what he did." She said softly.

"Hmmm?" he questioned as she moved his body from her lap, and stood up.  
"I won't tell. Don't worry about that. I just want to know if he's done that before." The name Serena slipped into his mind he didn't know why exactly. He was then suddenly aware of a pounding head ache.  
"My head is killing me." he groaned.  
"I'll give you something for it once you answer me." she said softly. He was forced to confess his most painful secret.  
"Yes, several times." she shook her head and handed him two asprin and a glass of water. Then sat down on a desk and picked up a phone then began to dial. "Who are you calling?" he asked.  
"Hush now. I'm just calling...Screw it I got voice mail. Out for two months she gets a cell and won't leave it on." she said slamming down the phone. The sound made him see stars and for a moment he wondered if he were a cartoon character. Upon seeing things were 3-D he decided against that theory.  
"I should get back to him or he'll be horribly upset." Serena shook her head.  
"Your staying here tonight. Lilly is in Grandad's cabin and won't be back till early tommorow. You will have to stay there for a while. Mom and Dad went to bed a while ago. Bakura said you were wore out and had gone to bed early. I've talked to him though I didn't get much info." she paused. "Your not really brothers are you?" It was to late he was asleep again and didn't wake for twelve more hours.

The sun was just rising behind the river. Dew laid fresh on the ground making it sparkle. Horse hooves beat the ground somewhere in the distance as someone called out to those they were in charge of. Her hand grasp his, her eyes plead with him. "You won't leave me will you?" she begged. As she ran next to him she limped. "It would take all the gods to make me leave you behind." He reassured her. A small smile spread across her lips. Not only would it take all the gods it would take the enitre world to separte him from her. She had saved him from a certin death. He had saved her from a power hungery father. Their lives were one. They fell together behind a temple. In silence they listened for the hoof beats to lead in any other direction except closer. They did. "Thank the..." he cut her off his lips pressed against hers.

Bakura sat up straight in bed trying to remeber where that dream had come from. More importantly who was that girl. He rolled over and saw standing in the door was was Serena. She was a lot smaller than her sister. They were polar opposites of each other. Lilly seemed to like order. Serena was impridictable. Her clothing stlye changed daily. Her attitude, and theories on life changed with them. But she now also knew something he didn't want her to know. She knew he was a monster. He never wanted to beat Ryou. It was an impulse it seemed like breathing. When he did beat the smaller boy he had a feeling now deep in his gut. Like the one you get when you try to breath under water. You know its wrong but untill someone or thing else takes control you still do it. Serena flipped the light on blinding him while she moved into the room.  
"I know your secret. I will not black mail you. I will not be burdened with it. I will not let you black mail me. I will not let you control me in any way. If you ever raise your hand to threaten me or any of my family. I warn you once now. I own a rifle. I am a very good shot. I have no fear of death. You mess with me you go down." She said her face so close to his there noses nearlly touched. With a small almost innocent smile she left the room. He quickly showered and dressed trying to make it down stairs and out to the barns as quickly as possible. He needed somewhere to think. He knew the routine and he knew the barns. All he had to do was get there before Lilly. He failed in this. Lilly was standing in the middle of the stable talking with Loki. When she saw him she excussed herself from the horse with a bow.  
"Mornin'. I've already grained the animals. Been up most the night. In a few minutes we'll let them out to graze. Don't worry I've even milked the does." She paused looking at him for a moment. "Sleep came hard for you." she stated more than asked. He felt a jab in his mind as if someone was breaking in. Quickly he threw up his defencses. She smilled with satifaction then went to the ladder and climbed up into the loft. He watched her expertly stepping from beam to beam.  
"You've done that before." an idea struck him. He wasn't sure she'd answer his questions.  
"Done what?"  
"The thing with my mind?"  
"I don't know what your talking about."  
"Its a difficult skill." "No. It is a natural one. If you are to be able to do it you will. If not it will be difficult. Beside that I have little use for such a skill." she swung down from the cross beam and landed at the other end of the stable she pushed open the door then started to let out the horses. She had memorized long ago who went to what pasture. The geldings and young males went out with the cattle. The females and colts went out together. The Males went out to another pasture. The goats were separted by male or female. The kids stayed with their mothers untill they were weaned. When she reached the stallions that were at his end she stopped. Her eyes searched his in a creepy, almost familiar way. Then went back to the door and disappeared to the next gate where she would send out the herd. When she came back in her eyes glinted. He wandered what to say but she grabbed his hand and led in from the barn. "Where are you taking me?" he questioned she just smirked and broke into a run. She yanked him faster toward the woods. In the middle of a empty feild she stopped looked around the held up her pinky. She counted off and began to drag him in a grouping of very old looking trees. Once in he noticed marking on the trees. Words or phrases carved deep in them. Only three or four feet from the ground.  
"When I was eight I was in charge of the girls army. We had fought against the boys twice that impaticular summer and won both times. But for the element of surprise I up rooted us and brought us here. If you know what the signs on the trees mean you'll go right to our base. If not you'll just be reading trees and the girls can make their attack." Bakura wondered if she had lost her mind. As she knocked on the largest tree to their right. Then her hand still in his she took him three paces to the right behind that tree was a small crudly built hut. "Welcome to Eyore's Mansion" she said proudly. Bakura looked at it then the only thing he could think fell from his mouth.  
"What the hell?" Lilly laughed. Not the forced laugh she normally had when talking with the people that had stopped by the farm.  
"I know but I figured. This is all really new and frusterating for you. So if you need somewhere to think. You should come here. Its sheletered from the rain and snow and most the wind because of all the trees. Plus no one comes out here."  
Bakura began to say something but decided not to. He didn't want to prolong this any more than he had to. So he nodded and followed Lilly back out to the main path beat down my tractor wheels over that past thiry or so years. He watched silently as she stopped to look out over the feilds. Each feild was full of crops he had only seen in Ryou's books. Or at least in the last few thousand years. She still reminded him of someone. He started thinking of his dream again as they entered the barn yard. Lilly left him to go see what her sister was yelling about.

Lilly found Serena at the top of the hill by the chicken coop. Serena quickly explained that Ryou was feeling under the weather and that Bakura and him were to go with their mother shopping today. "So, they'll have school clothes that don't make them look like members of the chess club?" Lilly questioned. Serena nodded with a small smirk.  
"You like him don't you?" "Who?" Lilly asked. Trying to think up a way out of the conversation.  
"Never mind. Just go find Bakura and tell him to get ready to go. When Chris gets here we are going to get our school supplies. Ma has the money for ours and Ryou's and Bakura's and Justin's." The rest of the time between then and the day school started was spent lazily as possible. Once back packs were bought and packed, there was little else todo out of the normal. Matt called everynight. Chris spent the days riding or wondering around in the woods. Bakura, much to Lilly's suprise, accutally was of help pouring himself into the chores set before him. Ryou and Serena on the other hand were rarely seen. This wasn't out of the ordinary for Serena and Lilly didn't know about Ryou.The friday before school started Matt came home from his vacation. After that he seemed to never leave the farm.

"Bakura. Ryou. Up." Lilly said opening the door and turning on their bedroom light. "Justin. Out of bed." yelled doing the same to her brother. She smirked listening to them groan as they climbed out of bed and rushed to be first in the bath room.  
"That was mean." Matt said. Watching Lilly come down the stairs.  
"My middle name." she said grinning. In the kitchen milling over bowls of cereal was Serena, Mandy, and Chris. They all looked like Christmas had been cancled. Lilly on the other hand couldn't of been more excited. She'd already read the reccomended reading and dying for a challenge. Once they had rushed through breakfast and moved on to chores Justin still hadn't joined them. "I'll go get him." Mandy voulenteered. When the issue was addressed. Lilly nodded and her former best friend was gone. Fiffteen mintues later the seven teens and Bakura were loaded up in a mini van and a little family car. The drive there was spent with the radio up and no one said a word. Far to soon the two vehicals circled the parking lot before parking. "Welcome to our hell away from home."  
" Its just 6 hours a day 5 days a week 4 weeks a month 10 months a year." before Serena could tell them the exact hours they'd be spending at this school Ryou cut her off. Lilly thought it was a bit odd for the shy little yuppy but didn't say anything.  
"Umm what do we do?" he asked. "Easy. Bakura's classes are the same as Matt's. Ryou you get to stick with me and Chris all day. Except gym they have that seperated." Lilly answered. She slung her heavy bag over one shoulder and grabbed a Kroger's bag from the trunk. "Pocket knives in." she stated. Matt, Chris, Mandy, Serena, Justin, and herself dropped in their pocket knives. Matt looked like someone had just taken away his pride and joy. Not far off though. He took better care of it than he'd taken care of his hamster. Rest in peace Chubby. The eight of them made it to the doors where they seperated off into homerooms. Lilly made sure to stay as close to Ryou as she could. He was new, looked like a memeber of the chess club, and his hair was the strangest thing she'd seen since the five legged calf Mr. Hobbs had a few years ago. Mrs. Halse had made sure that Ryou's locker was right next Lilly's. They unloaded themselves and Lilly read off the first classes of the day. "Trig, English, U. S. History, then we've been landed with B lunch so we go to Lab for thirty minutes then lunch." "Trig? First up they kill us. How sweet of them." Chris moaned. Lilly patted him on the shoulder and dug out the un-needed things from her bag. "Ready?" she asked. The three shut and locked there lockers. Four paces from their home room, Mrs.Johnson, they were stopped.  
"Halse. Hey Halse." Chris and Lilly turned around. Neither were on first name basies with this jock. It was Theodore Hillston. In the minds of most high school aged girls he was the hottest guy they'd ever seen off the t.v. To Lilly he was yet another reason to hate devlopments.  
"What do you need Ted?" Chris asked.  
"Wrong one. I want girl Halse." Ted said with his normal cocky attitude.  
"Same question."  
"Touchy this morning. Well, my lil sis is having her ninth birthday this Saturday and she wants a bunny wabbit. I was told you had the best around. She wants one of dem floppy eared things."  
"I've got a few stop out Friday after school I'll see what we can do. Anything else?"  
"Gee, naw I'm good. See ya 'round kiddies." Ted said turning and leaving the three.  
"Maybe it won't be so bad. He didn't even notice Ryou." Chris said with a grin.  
"Me?"  
"Chris, he wouldn't know he was falling of a ten story building untill he hit." Theur day untill lunch was uneventful. A few kids asked Ryou where he got his hair done. But that was about as exciting as they got.

Bakura's day was off to a much worse start. After home room his first class was 'lab'. Which turned out to mean computers. Bakura had left all of this new aged tech crap to Ryou. Now for the first time ever as he sat infront of a blueberry Mac he wished he had Ryou there. Matt sat on one side and on his other was Justin. It seemed that the teachers had made sure the three would be seated together because it was the same in home room. He'd had to struggle through introducing himself twice now. Ryou had tried to give him a basic idea of what he was supposed to say about himself. Of course he hadn't listened to his smaller half.  
"Don't you know how to start that?" Matt asked leaning over to pick the pencil of the ground he had obviously dropped on purpose.  
"Nnn." he replied feeling like an idiot. Matt didn't ask questions or even give him a look of pity just pushed the small white button with the strange looking symbol on it. The screen blinked to life. Over the next forty-five minutes Matt would keep leaning over to keep Bakura on the right path. Today's assignment was just to get used to the new systems that had been installed over the summer. Finally the bell rang and the teacher dismissed the class.  
"What's your hang up? I thought they had a bunch of robots and stuff in Japan." Matt questioned as they pushed their way down the halls. He had quickly learned that everyone stepped out of the way of the jocks and their little Barbie doll looking girlfriends. So the three stayed close behind them the fact that Justin was on the basket ball team helped a little so they didn't look like complete morons.  
"Of course we do. There's even Godzilla." Bakura ground out. Justin didn't say anything.  
"Sorry. "  
"Dude, we've got to hurry up or we'll be late." Justin mummbled. Untill lunch they were pushed along from class to class. Bakura had introduced himself and explained why he was here about a hundred times and was pretty sure he'd be muttering his introduction in his sleep. Beside that the walls in this school were to close. He felt like he was in the padlock when the animals came in at night for feeding. Everything was tight and packed together. He didn't have a problem with tight spots. He was actually quiet fond of being in tight spots. It gave him an adrinaline rush that was hard to beat.

Ryou sat next to Lilly and Chris in the B lunch. He had been told Bakura and the others would be here soon. He prayed they would be. In many years since he'd never been separated from Bakura for so long. Even if he did beat him he'd never let any other harm befall him. That at least wasn't completly nesassary. Lilly used her spork to mix the so called spegetti and meat balls, with ten packs of salt.  
"Lils stop that. You know that his Marshmallo sees he'll have a cow."Chris scolded his cousin. Lilly just looked up and smirked.  
"Mommy told you she wasn't going to get us out of trouble didn't she?" Lilly asked.  
"Mommy? His mom works here?" Ryou questioned. Chris sent Lilly a dirty look as he nodded.  
"Yeah, my aunt works here. You've seen her at church on Sundays. She's the one with the red hair. Looks like Reba." Lilly said.  
"Reba?" Ryou asked becoming even more confused.  
"Reba is one of Aunt Annie's favorite country singers. But my mom is a teacher here. You won't see her much. We are related to her so she can't teach us. The board is woried that we'll cheat or something." Chris said. His hand suddenly went up. Lilly looked in the direction of the closest entrence to the hall and Ryou followed her gaze. There stood Bakura and Matt. Justin was no where in sight. The two made there way over to the table. It was very cramped, with the benches built right on to it. There was no way to be comfortable on one of theses. Lilly and Chris had explained that there was a table for each division of the students. The football players had there own table with select cheerleaders, there was a table right behind this that was for all other sports and cheerleaders that really took two tables, then the normals they were basically the kids who weren't jocks or nerd they just were, then it just went down hill from there. At the very end in the back of the room was their table. It was for the speacal needs students, and country bumpkins or hill billies. "Hey there guys. So we are all still in one peice?" Matt greated them. Matt had a way of making even the most serious matters funny. Ryou figured this was a good skill for someone who spent all day everday with the Halse girls. "Head shoulders knees and toes." Chris answered.  
"Good to here soldier. I wouldn't want my troops falling apart at the seams. 'Bout you Lil?"  
"ly. Lilly. And I'm good. Can't wait for this to be over. How are you doing?"  
"Well, pretty good untill world history. When Bakura decided to correct the teacher when she told us what one of the hyerogliphics meant." Ryou looked to Bakura who just growled something under his breath.  
"What teacher?" Chris asked.  
"Umm...Mrs. Barney? She looks like that chick on Mad TV that Justin had a crush on. Barney isn't her name it sounds like Barney."  
"Harfman." Bakura supplied.  
"Harfman Barfman?" Lilly asked with a grin. Matt and Bakura nodded. "Her daughter is the one who had the tripplets her Jr year. She wasn't supposed...but the board is pretty much screwed when it comes to finding teachers in this little town."

Before long lunch was over and it was back to classes. When the final bell rang releasing the students they all raced to get out. Like rats from a sinking ship. Regrouping at the cars thoses headed back to the Halse's farm loaded the trunks down with their bags and reclaimed their blades. Ryou watched amazed as they found their own knives out of the nearly identical lot of them. Lilly climbed into the driver seat and started one of the cars while Justin took the other. The rest of them were left to scramble into one of the two vehicals.Once home they commenced chores then what little homework they were assgined.


	9. Tractor Ride and Horse Guide

_A/N I've never used wordpad to do this so this is going to be different looking than the anything written before it. Hope the few readers are still enjoying it. I'm always looking for suggestions on what else Bakura and Ryou can get into. THANK YOU for thoses of you who review. Now on to more entertaining topics....._

**Tractor Rides and Horse Guides**

The days continued on like this untill well into September. They would rise early rush through breakfast, water the animals and send them to pasture, go to school, come home, make second rounds on the animals, do homework, animals, showers, dinner, bed. Bakura was dissappearing to the woods frequently and wasn't sleeping. When he did he kept muttering in his sleep. Lilly wasn't sleeping either. She kept yelling out in her sleep telling someone named Alex that they weren't going to die. Serena always rose to deal with her sister when she got to be too loud. Bakura had resided to mental torcher though. He was constantly tell Ryou he'd done something the wrong way and making him re-do it untill it met the standards. But this impaticurlar day was to be different. As Ryou sat on a bale of hay watching Serena, in her over-alls, a hammer in the little loop on her right thigh, nails stuck out of the corner of her mouth and one in her hair holding her pony tail in a bun. Serena had become a quick ally. She knew the farm and everyone who spent time there. Though she frequently forgot things and got aggitated when some one had to remind her what she'd been doing.  
"Who's Alex?" Ryou asked as Serena messured a peice of plywood.  
"Used to be me." she muttered. " Ah Ha twelve and a half."  
"Used to?"  
"Yeah, before the accident. Alex is what they called me for short. But when I came to I didn't much care for the name." she explained marking off on the wood.  
"What happened?"  
"I was eleven. Grandpa had bought Lilly a horse and she had just broke him. So the two of us went out in the woods on one of the kinder trails. Something ran in front of us and spooked the horses. Lilly was more experienced and got hold of Seth with ease. Chip on the other hand threw me into a tree. I was in a coma for nearly a week. When I came to I didn't remeber a thing. After that everything was different. Or so I'm told. I don't remeber much that happened before I woke up. Doctors say I'm lucky to be alive. But try being an eleven year old girl who don't know anyone at all and your so called sister is suddenly there expecting the world of you. You wish you were dead most of the time. Sometimes I wished she would beat me the way....." She trailed off as she picked up a circular saw and cut out the wooden shapes she'd been drawing. As the peices clattered to the ground Ryou wondered what Lilly had done to Serena. Something wasn't quiet right about the way she acted about the whole thing.

Lilly gripped the keys in her pocket. She was going to get to help harvest this year. Well, in complete honesty she was going to show Bakura how to work the tractors and the kids were left to harvest except weekends when Dad would help. The corn was ripe and golden, the soy beans were brown-ish gold not a bit of green around, and the garden was full of ripe veggies. Now she just had to explain how to work the old machinary. She doubted he would understand the whole, treat the machinary like a living thing and it will work for you, thing that her family belived. Lilly looked over her shoulder where Bakura was following. They had three tractors and Chris had been stuck at home helping his mom move some stuff to her class room. So it would be her, Matt, and Bakura. She sighed as she walked past the stables and the rabbit barn. The pole barn that contained all the machinary, and anything else that was used out past the barns. Her entire world revoled around the farm and there was nothing better to her than harvest season. She loved the smell of the tractors, it was a mixture of gas and oil. Her grandfather had always taught her simple repairs on everything that broke down and the smell reminded her of him.

"Lil are you sure Whitey here can manage one of theses things?" Matt asked. Lilly turned and walked backwards a few paces studying Bakrua.

"It's not up to me. Beside that Mathew don't you remeber that we can do anything we set our minds to?"

"Okay whatever Barney. But when he kills one of your dad's ole babies it ain't gonna be my fault." Lilly smirked. Matt had not faith in her when it came to theses matter. No huge surprise either.

In a matter of mintues she and Matt had pulled out the three tractors. Everything needed already hooked up to them. The newest was a John Deer and its green and yellow paint job glistened in the early morning light. The other two were old fords that had been painted over with red and grey. Rust spots beining to show. Patting 'Ole Red' she dropped to the ground.

"Bakura, this is Ole Red. She's pretty good most the time a bit moody but she shouldn't throw to big a fit. Go up first and I'll show ya how ta get 'er movin'." Bakura complied. He never seemed to like being told what to do. But, that was okay she didn't take crap from anyone. It was creepy the way he watched her. It was the same look the people at the old folks home watched her. Always trying to figure out which one she was.

_I wonder if he knows how to drive. If not this will be difficult. _

After a few mintues on explaination, they set off toward the feilds. Today's main goal was to get the corn in. Serena had been left with Ryou to build a few nest boxes for the chickens and rabbits. But knowing her Lilly gave great doubt that would get done. Matt led the line Bakura in the middle then Lilly. She'd given them each walkie-talkies so that if anything happened they'd be able to get a hold of each other. Lilly had her walkman with her and was set for a long day in the feilds. Bakura was uneasy at the wheel and she watched him carefully for the first half hour or soo before turning up Patsy Cline and drifting into her own world.

They'd been in the corn feild for nearly four hours and he was getting hungrey. It wasn't very hard or intresting work but it allowed him to think.Here latly thinking meant that girl in his dreams. She'd been showing up more often and with the new little voice in the back of his mind making him second gessus every little thing he did he was quickly growing crazy. Or was it crazier?

_This is completly stupid. There is no point in dwelling on her. She's never even said her name._

He was losing himself in silent ranting when something caught his eye off in the distance. It was unmistakably Seth and Loki. Thoses two horses got in more trouble than anything he'd ever met. Besides himself of course. As he watched the two horses darting around in the open length of land that led to the woods he kept his tractor on a straight path.

"Bakura, what are you watching?" came Matt's voice over the little devious hooked onto the bar that went across infront of him. Matt seemed to be a pretty good kid. He would do anything anyone told him todo though. It would make him a good partner in crime if it weren't for his fasination with screwing everything up.

"Seth and Loki." he answered the other boy. There was a long moment of silence except for Ole Red.

_Wait a second. They've stopped._

"Bakura, turn off and get down here we've gotta go put them back." came Lilly's voice. He did as he was told. Lilly had to control everything. She kept everyone in order on the farm. Aside from giving orders she was always queit. But there was something strange about her. She reminded him of someone he just couldn't place who. As he hit the ground Lilly was standing next to Matt digging bailing twine from her pockets. The two were quick to cut and knot together four long pieces. " I'll get Seth can you two handle Loki?"

"Yeah we've got 'im." Matt answered his boss. Bakura followed the two out of the maze of corn stalks. Keeping close behind them not to get lost. It was far to confusing in the rows all looking the same. But they'd started at the back of the furthest feild and were heading in toward the barns so it was simple to go straight ahead and make your way out. As they went deeper into this jungle their pace quickened. Before long they broke free.

"SETH AND LOKI. COME HERE BABIES!" Lilly called the two horses looked up and turned toward their master coming at a gallop toward the group.

"Easy boys. Slow down a bit." Matt coaxed as the two horses came toward them. Bakura watched amazed as the two horses stopped and allowed Lilly and Matt to use the twine to as makeshift reins. Lilly pulled herself onto Seth's back.

"Matt, help Bakura mount and you go get the other two and I'll call you in a second to tell you what else we need." Matt nodded as Lilly leaned down over Seth's neck and whispered in his ear. The black stallion set off quickly toward the pature known simply as "Doom". It had been repaired in so many places that it always looked brand new. They didn't even bother painting the fences. Seth and Loki would only break it down in a few months time.

"Here put your foot in my hand and I'll lift ya up." Matt said kneeling down next to the dark chocolate horse. Silently and hesitantly Bakura complied. Once he sat on the horse Matt stood and moved to the head of Loki. "Bakura hold with your knees and move with him. Don't panic no matter what he does. If he gets to fast simply tell him to ease up. He'll do most the leading." Matt said looking up at him. He then looked into Loki's eyes. "Take to the break big guy." he slapped the horses rump and they were off.

_I HATE RIDING! This is ridiculus. This stupid animal isn't going to really take me to the break in the fence. These people are insane. _he screamed in his mind as the horses speed picked up. They sped faster toward Doom. They were going to crash right through.

"Whoa. Loki stop now boy." came Lilly's welcome voice. Bakura had faced dangerous beyond the mortal man's imagination and yet riding these speeding god named horses made him about wet himself. But Loki ignored her and jumped the broken bits of wood and kept galloping around Doom. "Loki either come back here and stop or you don't get fed today or tommorrow and you will not leave your stall once I get my hands on you."

_She's threatening to ground the horses. She's lost it. It'll never work._

At that moment Loki slowed and walked toward Lilly. In disbelif he slid off the side of the horse while Lilly untied him.

"Sorry, bout that. Loki only acts like that when him and or Seth don't like someone. They've got a strange sense of who's worthy to ride." she said stepping to the outside of the fencing before plucking her walkie-whatever off her belt hook and calling into Matt.


	10. Demons and Babysitting

_A/N So Bakura was very out of character last chapter, and most likely the next several. But remeber he has a bit of a problem with a voice in the back of his head telling him right from wrong. Sorry about that. I finally got the majority of this ff planed out._

**Demons and Baby Sitting**

After at least thirty minutes of Bakura and Matt arguing over the best way to nail up a few boards Lilly and Serena had pushed the two boys out of their way and ten minutes later the boards were up and they'd headed back to house. Ryou had to admitt he was impressed with the way his yami had handled himself the last few weeks. Even if he had managed to set his computer in lab to curse everytime it was woke up, or when he had ended up the third day with detention because to told the gym teacher if he wanted him to run that the out of shape used to be high school foot ball player should run first. Only not so kindly. The squables between Lilly and Bakura were irritaiting but he could stand those. The two got along better than anyone could belive. But at this very moment he was sitting on the floor next to Serena's bed. She had quickly become one of his closest friends and had with out much hinting figured out a lot of what was going on. But as the youngest she had explained that it was her job.

"Who drew those?" he asked indacating the drawings all over the wall opposite him. They were amazing to say the least. The center and largest was a pair of peircing blue eyes and above it were the words 'Get lost in his eyes, but you'll never be in his life.'

"Lilly drew them. It's a bunch of Seto Kaiba and Mokuba. It's sort of funny I think. Would you like to see others?" Serena asked. They'd been talking for hours about nothing impaticular.

"Sure. If Lilly won't mind."

"Naw. Even if she does what she gonna do?" Serena asked a smirk teasing the corners of her kool aid stained lips. Serena hopped out of her bed and flung up the blankets on the bed under the pictures and dug around under it. She let out a triumphant shout as she crawled back out with a brown leather bag. She un-zipped it and extracted several hundred drawings. Serena then crawled back over and flopped down next to Ryou. Her hair had finally gone back to it's normal chocolate brown color and when she wasn't wearing contacts her eyes were a sky blue. Serena thumbed through the drawings before she showed them to Ryou. "This one is Matt with Emma. Emma is one of the toddlers at church. Ohhh and this is the Kaiba brothers dueling someone. I don't remeber his name she saw the picture on the internet printed it off and drew it. I know I should know his name. He's got tri-colored hair."

The first picture was definatly Matt at his most maternal. He held the toddler an arms length away and had an idiotic look on his face. Nothing was colored just shaded. The second picture was obviously Seto Kaiba and the nameless boy he was dueling was none other than Yugi. Around them were several people he knew. Tristian, Tea, Joey, and Mokuba stood by watching the duel. But before Serena had the chance to show him the next drawing the door flew open and in stomped Lilly.

"I'll kill him. I'll beat him unconsious smear him in blood and hang him up in the woods at dusk. I'll break off his useless arms and beat him over the head with it." she ranted as she dropped on to her bed kicking off her slippers and dragging her feet around untill her socks too came off.

"Who ya gonna kill this time?"

"Mathew. He just called. Appereantly he forgot to tell me he can't help me tommorrow so now I've got untill 7 AM to find a replacment or I face ten screaming toddlers alone." she continued. Ryou watched silently not sure what to do. Technically he shouldn't of been in the girls bed room and by no means should the door have been shut. Lilly forced herself up on her knees and stared at the drawing on the wall. "Kaiba wouldn't stand for this. What would he do?" Lilly asked spinning around. She drew another breath ready to start another line of ranting when she spotted him.

_I'm dead. She's going to hang me out there with Matt in a minute..._

"You let me.......Alexandra Serena I'm going to strangle you. Wait a minute. He shouldn't be here. I can just tell Ma and you'll be worse off than anything I could do to you." a devious grin darkened her features. Her sharp green eyes analyzing the situation. Serena chose this moment to speak up.

"Lillian Anne Halse. Your not going to tell Mom. You can't tell Mom or I'll tell her what happened to her good hoe."

"Don't take that tone with me........Oh NO you swore you wouldn't tell anyone about the hoe." Lilly gasp. Ryou was quiet taken back by the way the two were now yelling at eachother in an obvious attempt to out black mail the other sibbling. Lilly was down for now but her wheels were turning. Her eye's unfourtunatly fell on Ryou before the wheels got to full gear.

"Lils?" Serena finally asked trying to break her sister's consentration.

"Bakura said the other day he don't belive in all the God stuff Mom is always shoving down our throats. Alls I'd have to do is.......It would work too......He's out by the pond..... Thanks for your help my little friends." Lilly said jumping up and leaving the room.

_This isn't good. I'm really dead once Yami Bakura finds out._

_He towered above her. The dagger poised in his hand. All she could do was wait for him to strike. He reaked of beer. He always_ _did. She'd begged him to stop. Begged him to forget her. She was his illigetamint child and after her village along with the one person he really loved was burned to the ground. Now she was just another pawn in his game for power. His wife had mysterioiusly come up missing several years before. But she knew what had happened it was why her mother never dared to fight against the man. He was part of the royal court. A sick, power crazy, drunken man and he'd never stop untill he got what he wanted._

_"Daddy, please don't. I'll do it. I'll do whatever it is you want just don't cut me." she begged her father._

_She bore the marks on his anger across her lower back and stomache. The only friend she'd ever had had persumably died in the villiage. At least as far as anyone else knew. She'd seen him across the Nile. He'd done what he'd always been so close to doing. He'd become a grave robber. _

_"You say that don't you? You swear to me now that you'll do anything I wish. Ahhh but I know better than that Weni. You lie to me. You'll pay." he sneered. Weni had been his wife. She had finally gotten sick of his abusive behaviour that night. She fought him back he killed her for it. The dagger was brought down closer to her flesh. She could now feel the heat from the seering hot blade. Her father moved her clothing to reveal the inside of her left thigh. He then jabbed the knife in his daughters flesh and ripped it down. She screamed out in pain._

Lilly woke up in a cold sweat. She hated that dream. No it was a nightmare. When she was younger she'd had dreams of this man he was always clean shaven and sweet. He'd bring her gifts and her mother in the dreams was deep in love with him. However the older she got the worse the dreams got. The worst one wasn't this one. It was the one where her villiage burnt to the ground at the hand of no other than the phararoh. Her best friend was a white haired boy who only had his own abusive father for family. The two had become fast friends and Lilly could recall hundreds of dreams where the two would walk around their village talking. But when the village burnt down killing both their families the boy had fled swearing he'd come back for her. Lilly couldn't shake the dream as she found her black dress pants. On the inside of her left leg she did have a scar that would match the one of the girl she became in her dreams. Only hers was a result of trying to climb a chain link fence and getting caught. Lilly searched through her half of the closet settling in for a powder blue sweater before coming her hair back into a braid. She loved the fact that in a few months time she would have missed enough of the sun that her hair would darken to an almost black color. She dug around under her bed and found a pair of dress boots that came up to her knees. Pulling on her boots she let her mind wander to what she was going to do with the children today.

For years Lilly and Matt had run a day care for some of the toddlers while their parents were in church the older kids were in Sunday school and Father had long since decided that as long as the two went the the nursing homes and read or played games with the elderly that they were doing God's work without needing the Sunday morning speaches promting them to. But this weekend Matt had backed out. Leaving her with very few choices. Chris would have willingly helped but his mother refused to let him. Afraid he'd end up hurting one of the little kids. Serena didn't like babies and the idea of asking Justin was well....stupid. So she asked Bakura. Well more like she called him a coward and wasn't very clear on all the details of the job. So of course he agreed and she might have lied a little too. But that didn't matter. Once she was dressed and ready to go she went to wake up Bakura.

"Kura.....Bakura come on get up we've got to leave soon." she said flipping on the light and moving in the room to shake the older boy awake.

"I really wish you'd just go back to your corner of hell and stay there." he growled sleeply.

"Now stop that and get up. Oh and don't wear that little necklace of yours. Someone might get hurt on it." she instructed before leaving the boy.

Lilly made her way down stairs and poured a bowl of frosted flakes and let Gretchen out who caming padding behind her when she left her bed room. As she ate she waited on Bakura to make his appearance.

_For a boy he sure takes forever to get ready. Even Justin is faster than this and he uses half a freakin' bottle of gel._

She'd already washed her bowl out and let Gretz back in when he fumbled down stairs. He was dressed in a pair of blue jeans and a grey t-shirt. It didn't really matter if your dressed up to get spit-up on but every week Lilly dressed up. It was the only time she bothered making sure she looked decent unless it was a holiday or they were going out for someones birthday.

The sun had risen when they pulled in to the parking lot of the little church. A few cars were already here she figured this to be Father, the day's alter boy, and the organ player, Mrs. Whyte. Lilly quickly led Bakrua into the building and down the hall to the right to one of the small rooms. This one unlike all the others was painted bright colors, with boxes full of toys of every shape and size, fire trucks littered the floor, while tucked against one wall were three play pens, and a changing table.

"Why are we in a nursery?" Bakura asked.

_Okay he's dense but he's also my only chance for help today._

"We've gotta watch some toddlers for a little while. Then we'll have the rest the day to do whatever." Lilly said matter of factly opening the blinds and turning on the lights. Bakura stood dumbfounded in the door way. "Would you like to come in?" she asked. At that moment two little girls about three or four and a two year old little boy came running in the room.

"WIWWY!!" they screamed racing to her wrapping their arms around her legs.

"Hey kiddles. Where's Uncle Lou?" she asked squating down to their height.

"He in da butt." the oldest girl, Mary answered.

"Where?"

"Da butt."

"I don't know what your talking about Mary."

"Math says it's da butt. You know day keeps Jebus's body in dares." Mary explained impatiently.

"Oh okay. Well, you stay here with my friend Bakura. I'll be right back okay?" Lilly asked. The three toddlers nodded turning to grin evilly at Bakura the moment Lilly's back was turned. "Bakura, I'm going to go find Fa"

"Me?" a sandy haired man who looked to be about 25 or so walked in. She knew him as Father Lou or Uncle Lou when the little ones were around. He had adopted his sister's children after her and her husband were killed in a car crash two years ago.

"Yeah." she said unable to stop the smile that spread across her face. So what if she had a small crush on the priest not like anything could happen.

"What you need my little flower?" he teased.

"Matt had to go to the nursing home. His adopted grandmother is dying and she wanted him to be there in the end. So, I was out of help and brought him along." she said pointing to Bakura.

"He looks safe enough. Besides it's just mine that will be here the whole time. He the boy your mom 'ordered' from Japan or whatever?" Lilly nodded before adding on to his conclusion.

"He is the older of two brothers we got for this year. I don't know his first name Ma never told us. He goes by his last name Bakura and his little brother is Ryou. You've probably seen them with Ma and Dad the last few weeks."

"Wiwwy pway wif us. Lwo will talks all day." Annet, the middle of the three toddlers whined. Lilly laughed and pluck the small child off the ground and positioned her on her hip.

"And what if Wiwwy don't wanna pway wif you?" she questioned poking the girl in the stomache making her giggle.

"Well, it was nice meeting you Mr. Bakura, Lil I'll see you after the first mass. Behave you three or Lilly won't come back next week."

"Why?" asked the wided Mary.

"Because I won't letter I'll keep her all for myself and not let you play with her." Father Lou said squating down to his niece.

"Why?" she asked. She was at that most annoying stage where no matter what you say she asks why.

"Because you were bad." he said a twinkle in his blue eyes.

"Why?"

"I don't know. Maybe you were posessed." he answered with the most obsured answer he could think of.

"Why?" she asked yet again. With a shrug Lou stood up.

"I've got to go before Miss Ann thinks it's Monday again and leaves. I still don't see how her doctor can say she's mentally all there."

"She don't go." Lilly answered him before he was all the way out the door.

"How do you know that?"

"She hasn't seen the doctor in years. He's evil or something. Tried to put her on mood stablizers a while back." Lou just nodded before leaving. Lilly turned to Bakura the small child on her hip wrapping her tiny chubby arms around Lilly's neck. "That was Father Lou. Nice man, moved to town five or six years ago. Not that untill I guess three years ago he was around much." She then saw the most astonishing thing.

While Lilly was chatting with the strange man who only wore black with a single white colar, the little boy had crawled over to him. After the little thing's tugging on his pants became to annoying to ignore he sat down on the floor to see what he wanted.

"Hi." he said in the smallest, softest, voice Bakura had ever heard.

"Hello." Bakura said shocking himself when he managed not to sound gruff or scary.

_He is kinda cute. But someone has got to teach him to speak up._

"I's Luke, whos you?" he asked.

"I'm Bakrua." the little boy giggled at his name. Which was agitating but still sweet.

"Wanna pway?" Luke asked him plopping down next to a pile of legos.

"What do you do?" Bakura asked. He had never played with these strange looking blocks and they did look rather intresting with all the bright colors and a few had faces on them. Though all the faces were fat and rather comical.

"Ya stacks um." Luke answered, pushing a few of the blocks to him and taking some for himself.

"Well, that's the first he's ever started a conversation with anyone. I can never get anything out of him." Lilly said. Bakura looked up to see Mary peeping between Lilly's legs and the other girl he had not name for kissing Lilly's cheek babbling to fast or to babyish for him to understand.

"Wiwwy, Let's pway wif da dollies." Mary suggested.

Lilly told the girl to take her sister and start playing that she'd be over in a minute. Then explained the importance of the sign in sheet and told him the reasons to put a kid in time out. Which seemed like everything. Fighting, name calling. not sharing......the list continues on for a long while. But he tuned most of it out and just nodded. He was busy trying to show Luke how to build a pyramid putting the most grubby of the faced legos inside. Before to long there were thirteen toddlers in the room. Mary, Annet, Luke, Mark, John, Paul, Paula, Thomas, Anna, Anne Marie, Kate, Athena (which looked alot like the horse on the ranch), and the last was Rebecca. They were all snot nosed little monsters who seemed to speak a lanuage all there own. But Lilly seemed to be one of the privledged few who understood everyword that was said. Before long he had the five boys around him. They were all building 'great' structures out of the billions of legos then running Tonka trucks into them.

"Baka, why's your hairs all white?" Paul who was about the oldest and Paula's twin asked.

"Stupid, it's cause he's old. Like Papaw." John answered.

"I don't know Paul, it just is." he answered. No matter how many times he explained his name wasn't Baka they didn't get it.

"Bakura, I've got to take Kate to the bathroom." Lilly said coming over. A small red head absolutly covered in freckles at her heels staring at him as if he were the freak show at a circus.

"Your leaving me with all of them?" he asked stunned.

"The girls are playing with Barbies, they might need help changing her clothes Ken will be coming with the limo in a few minutes they are going to a ball." Lilly explained pointing to the Tonka dumpster truck that was apperantly the limo and then to a large purple ball under the changing table that was 'the ball'. "And you've got the boys under control here. I'll only be gone a minute." she said.

"Wiw I wealy gotta go." cried the red head. Lilly didn't say anything else just picked up the child and walked off.

For about four minutes everything was well and fine. But then 'the ball' was attacked by a huricane of Tonka trucks, Hotwheels, and legos. The attack was led of course by John and Bakura didn't see the harm in a small rampage. He soon saw the error in this thought. Suddenly hundreds of doll clothes and even the doll themselves were thrown back. One of the girls, Athena he thought, grabbed a toy sword from the closest toy box and 'stabbed' Paul, John, and Mark. All three boys lay on the ground holding their wounds tounge hanging from the sides of their mouthes. It was the oddest war he'd ever seen and he was enjoying it helping the few living boys take captives by putting them in play pens when he was taken at sword point.

_After how many million years have I escaped being caught and a toddler catches me? I can't go anywhere either she's got a sword. WHAT AM I THINKING IT'S PLASTIC?!?!?!_

He wondered as he was lined against a wall next to Luke. The two sat and watched as the little warrior girl went and slaughtered their last standing man. Thomas took his punishment with dignity too. He stood up straight and took the stab under his arm. Then three of the four boys lay on the ground along with the discarded toys. Bakura had a hard time keeping a straight face when the Annet and Athena came over with their demands.

"Sets um fwee....Days duns nuttin' wong." Athena commanded. Annet just nodded next to her. Both girls then saw the hesitation and their bottom lips began to quiver and their eyes got rounder and started to water.

"Pweaz" they choursed. Before Bakura had a chance to give in Lilly came back. She stood in the door way for a long moment before laughing.

"What have we got here? A little miss Joan of Arc?" she asked Athena.

"Who?" the little brunet asked.

"Don't worry about it. Come on everyone I'm God and I say we are all alive again and I restore peace to the lands. Now hurry up lets clean up before your parents come."

It didn't take long for them all to get the room put back in order. Right on time the parents came in and checked their kids out. Though there were plenty of other kids that day none were as fun to watch as the first batch.


	11. Insight 'n Death

**A/N: Sorry about the lateness of this chapter. Computer problems but it's here now. I hope you enjoy and I'll have another chappie up asap. Of course with my life that could be a few days or a few weeks so keep checkin' in. I'd also like to say I'm going to be posting another HP Fan Fiction. I'll put details on my look up. Thanks, R&R, Enjoy.**

**Insight 'n Death**

Lilly was washing Annet's and Luke's hands while Mary sat on his lap. She was telling him all about her teddy bear. But so far all he'd understood is that its name was Scare Bear, he fought monsters all night long, and her daddy had given the bear to her. The enitre day had been fairly decent. It was almost noon and Father Lou was talking to a doctor who worked at the local hostpital. The man was appereantly asking for Father to come out and talk with a few of his patience. Lilly had promised they'd stop and get lunch before they went home. Which wasn't something he'd asked for but rather Serena cooked lunches on Sundays and they were never very appitizing. Last week had been chips and various dips the worst of which was a lime green color she Justin had called 'whack-o-molie'.

"I likes you Baka. You're more funs than Math. Math is boring." the small girl said. He forced himself not to laugh and only let a small smile cross his face. It was strange how theses kids didn't make him angery. Ryou hadn't bee

n much older than them when the two met and yet he constantly wanted to beat Ryou. He told himself it was to make him stronger or because his lighter half had done something wrong. But latly he'd been finding it difficult to find anything wrong with Ryou. His grades were good, he did what he was told when he was told to, and the two spent so little time together that there was nothing to get mad at him for. But his mind was far from empty without Ryou's thoughts. He had so many of his own constantly battling eachother over what was right and what was wrong.

"Well, I like you too Mary." he answered.

"You is gonna come backs next week wif Wiwwy." she stated more than asked.

"I don't know." The girl pouted and climbed from his lap.

"Father, we've gotta run. I want to drop Bakura off and check on Matt before I have to take care of stuff at home. I'll see you next week." Lilly said releasing the younger two toddlers as their uncle walked in the room.

"Okay. I might need a sitter sometime this week or next week."

"Sounds good. You've got my number. Don't hesitate to call." Lilly said. She had been very clumsy today. One of the older kids they'd had today sat and watch the door the whole time that way if Father walked down the hall he could distract Lilly if she was holding one of the other kids. So no one got dropped.

"I will do. Nice meeting you Mr. Bakura. "

"Bye Father." Lilly said.

"You too, Father." Bakura said before he realized. Though he knew it was the proper response he didn't know it would be falling from his mouth.

Then he followed Lilly to the truck. She didn't say much for the first several minutes just played with the radio. When she finally decided nothing was on she turned it off. He still hadn't come up with who she reminded him of. But that mystery had been lost when the girl in his dreams had appeared more frequently. Last night he had watched through a window as she got attacked by her father. After the man had left he crept into the room and quieted the girl. Making promises to come back for her as soon as she could leave. These dreams disturbed him but the toddlers had taken his mind far from dreams and Lilly had been rather plesant to be with today.

"Want me to drop you off after lunch or you want to come with me to check Matt?" she asked.

"I'll come with you." he didn't really want to go but it would save her the trip and once again he was shocked to see himself being polite.

"You sure? It's not a problem to run you back home." she asked glancing off the road to look at him.

"Nah don't worry about it. So where are we going for lunch any way?"

Lunch was at a small family owned dinner, called Mama and Papa's Home Cookin'. It was cheap, quick, and on the way. So it was perfect. Lilly made small talk with the waiter who was appereantly the great grandson of the people who had opened the dinner in the 30's. It was rather annoying to watch her make goo goo eyes and such at the gaggly looking kid but she managed to get them a discount on their meals. When they arrived at the small brick building with the big wooden green sign out front saying "Mainville's and Morrow's Retirement Center" Lilly seemed to be dragging her feet. Inside they were stopped by a tall blonde woman with a name tag stating her name was Gracie.

"Lil, honey, she's not doing to well if you'd like to see her.....go see her. Before you see Don." the woman said sympathy in her eyes.

"I'm not here to see Don today. Just Elaine, and Matt. How is he?"

"Don't worry about him dear. He seems fine to me. But who is this? Let me gusses your mother has been talking about two boys Ryou and Bakura this would be.....Bakura, right?" Gracie asked eyeing him.

"Yes, well thanks. We should get moving." With out another word Lilly led him down the halls to a dark quiet room half way down the third hall on the left. Inside Matt sat next to the bed of as seemingly sleeping gray haired woman. Matt held her hand, his head bowed.

"Matt?" Lilly called hesitantly.

"Hey, Lils. Elaine? Grandma, Lilly is here to see you." the old woman's eyes fluttered open and she seemed really distant for a moment then spoke.

"Lillian come here dear." Lilly stepped forward and took the woman's out streached hand. "ahh I knew you'd come. I can always count on my little Lillian."

"Elaine." Lilly started but didn't finish.

"It's okay dear. It's my time. You know that we've got old souls that will come back again. You've not seen the last of me." the woman smiled and shifted a bit in her bed. "Who's that?" she must have seen him so Bakura stepped forward.

"Elaine that's Bakura." Lilly explained

"Ahh I see. Step forward young one." the old woman beckoned so he did and her smile grew. "I see your an old soul. I thought as much. Old in a different way than mine or Lilly's souls. But all the same old. You've seen great pain and danger." she coughed and then waved for them to lean in closer. "The Lord Almighty is calling me I must make this quick and give you my wisdom. In life there is little we can stop even if we want to. If it's meant to be it will be. Don't fight your gut instict or your heart. They'll rarly lead you the wrong way. Don't be afraid to fall. Scrap your knees and get back up again. Pain is one of the best parts of life. If you can still hurt your still alive." she fell silent for a long moment and no one dared to breath. "Your good strong kids, you'll do just fine for yourselves." She then leaned back into her pilliows. Matt and Lilly refused to look away from her body. The heart monitor flat lined and an alarm went off. A nurse rushed in and turned it off and pulled out her chart.

"Your loss is unfortunate children. I'll let you have a few minutes." she left. After that Matt leaned forward kissed the old woman's forehead and he and Lilly placed her hands on her stomache and put a cross in them. They then left the room slowly. Bakura was left to follow blindly. No one said anything as they got in their cars and drove home. When they pulled in the drive she turned to him a pained look hid behind the smile she presented him with.

"I'll take care of the animals, Gracie will have called Mom by now. I need some time alone. I'll be in for dinner." she then handed him her keys got out of the car and walked off.

The rain poured as she leaned against the back of the barn. It was late september now and the weather was growing steadily colder. It was probably 40 degrees out but when your soaked to the bone it feels much colder. Tears poured freely down her cheeks and didn't wipe them away. She hated to show raw emotion. But that didn't really matter at the moment.

"Lilly? Lilly?" she could hear someone calling. No doubt her mother had gotten worried seeing as night had fallen, it was raining, and she still hadn't returned. About the time she had decided to wait it out and see if the person would go away Bakura rounded the corner. His white hair pressed flat against his head, color in his face from the cold wind that was biting at them. She wished him away but he spotted her."Your mother wants you to come in."

"I know." she replied solomonly.

"Well, let's go then." she watched him inch uncomfortably closer." You alright?"

"Yeah, just wanted some time to think."

"Okay well, you've had all day now it's time to come it. I've been looking for you forever." He actually looked quiet comical but so familiar standing there infront of her soaking wet. Lilly started to ask him something but decided against it and led the way to the house. She could hear him faintly behind her. He always walked like a cat, nearly soundless, but her ears were used to the quiet sounds from all the time she spent in the woods.

"If Mom see's me soaking she'll pitch a hissy fit so we've gotta be careful." as soon as she opened the door though they were caught.

"Hey Sis." Serena greeted. "I put clothes in the dryer to get them good and warm Mom and Dad are watching COPS in the living room. So the coast is clear."

_Sweet, sweet Serena._ Lily thought thanking her sister. She grabbed Bakura's hand and led him into the laundry room. She was faintly aware that she was breaking more of her parents rules right now than she'd done in all of last week. Of course thoses rules she'd been chided for and it would of been forgotten. This was different. She shut the door trapping them both in the small room. There was scarcly enough room for the washer and dryer plus the number of baskets that normally filled the room. But today the baskets would be sitting inside the doors of every bed room. So Lilly opened the dryer and pulled out the sweat pants there were two pair she tossed Bakura the blue pair and took the grey pair that read 'cowgirl' on the butt. She wedged herself between the dryer and the wall and peeled off her soaked jeans. Without turning where she could see Bakura she pulled out the two tee shirts that were in the dryer. Once again she turned her back to Bakura taking off her shirt and quickly putting on the dry one.

"You cool back there?" she asked.

"One second."

In truth Bakura had yet to change at all. He was still in shock that 'perfect Lilly daddy's lil' girl and mommy's little angel' had just changed right infront of him like he was a fly on the wall. So keeping his eyes glued on her back, where her hair dripped down the back of the white tee shirt revealing her violet lace trimmed bra, he quickly stripped down and changed into the sweats.

" 'Kay." he muttered and she turned around. It was amazing what dry clothes did to her mood she no longer looked beat and sad, she wore a smile and her cheeks were rosey. She looked almost....

_What the hell is going on here?!?! Oh this bull is stoping now._

" 'Kura? You gonna open the door or we gonna sit in here all night?" she asked shifting her weight to her left foot hands on her hips she looked like a much smaller version of her mother.

"Yeah. One sec." he said turning to open the door. Of course Serena stood on the other side arms crossed over her chest and a smirk on her face.

"One more minute I was going to open the door. Now, Lil you've gotta go show Mamma we found you I snuck and grabbed you some left overs before Daddy threw them out. He was ticked cause you just ran off and didn't keep your promise to be in for dinner. Any way your food is on your bed no worries it's all wrapped up. Your computer is warming up too. Matt called you need to call him back too. Ummm... Am I forgetting something? Oh year 'Kura Mamma went to Half Price today and found an Egypt book or something it's on your bed too. 'Kay I'm done. I release you my pretties." Serena stepped out of the way and let them pass. Bakura followed Lilly feeling like a lost puppy. Once again he had to wonder why he was so lost suddenly. Then when she turned around he realized why.

She looked at him her eyes their bright green, her wet hair fell around her face having been taken down was black, her skin as always tanned, and she looked exactly like the girl who had been attacked by her father in his dream the night before. She nodded as if to say something but didn't open her mouth. Just proceeded to walk into her parents.

A few hours later, after having eaten and debated on the topic she picked up the phone and called Matt. Bakura could hear her in her room. She sounded so small and helpless speaking into the silly little machine. Her voice wasn't the only sound that wafted from her room into his. She was typing away on the computer. He sat on his top bunk starring at his mathmatic homework. Who the hell cared what the product of XY plus Z minus BCD was. In his mind images from his dreams continued to flash through. It was like a slide show gone horribly wrong. He'd see pictures of Lilly mounted on Seth cantering in the the feild then the girl being attacked by her father suddenly out of nowhere Lilly stood infront of her own father giggling trying to cheat him out of the change from buying feed.

Ryou sat on his own bed under him writing some essay for English. He'd read something out loud every once and a while. Bakura knew he wasn't getting along to well with the reports and essays and projects and who knew what else was assigned his lighter half. There was a knock on the door and Lilly's voice called out from the other side.

"May I come in?"

"Yes, Lilly. What do you need?" Ryou asked. He sounded glad to be able to take a break from his school work.

"Well, being raised in this sort of setting I'm sure by now you've noticed Ma's put a great amount of presure on us to make sure we are proper and all that. Well, I gessus it's had an unexpected effect. I've got a silly little voice in my head telling me right from wrong all the time."

"I can see how that would be annoying." Bakura mubbled.

"Yeah. Well, thank you Bakura. You didn't have to help me this morning, with the little ones. You certinally didn't have to come to see Matt and Elaine this after noon and once again tonight you didn't have to go lookin' for me. Thank you for having done all that."

"I didn't do any of it for your benefit." Bakura said looking up from his books impatiently. He could hear Ryou below him shutting his books and stacking his papers. He was going to flee before things got ugly.

"I didn't say you did. I wouldn't expect you to. I just wanted to thank you. I don't..... In this day and age there are fewer and fewer people like you. It causes a lot of problems for thoses like my mother who are trying to instill good manners and common sense in their children." Lilly started. He was finding her to be quick to make a speech whenever she could.

"Lilly? What time is it?" Ryou asked.

"Nearing eleven."

"I've promised Ser I'd watch some silly program with her. I'll see you later." Ryou scurried from his bed out the door. It was pathetic. He pulled the door to before he left.

"Is there something else you wanted Lillian?" he asked. Lillian, she hated her name with a passion. She was always trying to hide from it as if it held something over her. He knew the feeling all to well. Being followed by what you can't shake.

"Yes, and no. But, all things will play out in their time." she turned as if to leave but stopped herself short when she saw the book on his dresser. "It's mythology isn't it? About the different gods and such that the people believed in?" he nodded "Do you believe what Elaine said?"

"Which part?"

"About old souls. Is there more than one way a soul can be old?" for a moment he didn't answer wondering if she knew what was in his head. After everything with the items nothing would be surprising and there was the way she had an understanding with the animals.

"Did you ever read about possesion?"

"Mamma never liked us to read of such things. But Grandpa has a bunch of thoses books in his cabin."

"So you've read them?"

"A few."

"Maybe a soul could be old because it's been in an item for ages."

"True, but the soul would only have taken over the body of another living being. It would also be evil. Elaine said your soul was old but in a different way. Oh well." she yawned. "Sweet Dreams Kura-kuns" and she left. Kura-kuns had become a sick and annoying pet name. But with his new understanding of who she was it wasn't as bad. But who she was was still a problem.


	12. Incoming

**Responses**

**Kit: I looked back at what I'd wrote and realized to my great horror that you were correct. I adore Ry. He's such a sweet heart. So thanks to you and my love for Ry I'm making this chapter all from his POV. Thanks for reviewing. Hope you enjoy.**

The air was bitter cold in the morning and evening. The days were much shorter too. Mr. Halse was short tempered any more. Serena said that was because he was no longer able to do as much in a day. Ryou just hoped he'd get over it soon. To this Serena once again reasured him her father would fall into the winter pace soon. The weekends were now spent closing holes and getting straw in easy to access places. Lilly was sure this winter would be worse than any yet. Chris said she was crazy that the gods weren't really pissed at her mother for bringing in Ryou and Bakura.

But at this moment Ryou was sitting out by the nanny pen enjoying the lull in todays work. He knew it would only last untill Matt, Lilly, and Bakura got back. That was one other thing that had shocked him. No matter where Lilly went Bakura was close behind. Matt was always following Lilly so now the three musketeers were out getting feed. Meaning it was Saturday morning. Lilly spent the night in the barn waiting on Katelyn to kid. So far it seemed to be a false alarm. But the doe was old and Lilly wasn't taking any chances. Infact she'd spent most of the last week ranting about 'idiot farm hands' who can't close a couple of gates.

"Hey Buddy!" came Serena's voice from somewhere behind him. "Your hard to find." she said coming up and sitting down on the bale of alfalfa.

"Sorry. I didn't know you were looking for me." he appologized.

"Ehh. No biggie. Just wanted to make sure you weren't stuck to a fence post somewhere." Which was apperently her biggest fear after Matt dared Chris to jump in the pond and then hug a metal fence post a few winters back. Of course Chris had done it and they had to pour warm water on his half dressed self to get him off.

"No, I've not any plans to jump in the lake." he smiled. Most of the time he just sat in silence with Serena. They had both suffered from thing most teens never dream of and found comfort with in eachother.

"Good. I'd hate to have to explain that to Mama again." she laughed. "We should probably be working on Genral Lilly's list instead of sitting here." Serena mummbled after a few moments of silence.

"S'pose." He waited a moment. "Do you think people can change?" he asked.

"No, I know they can. My grandfather used to say that the mind and heart a simple to change, if you know what needs changing." Ryou knew she didn't actually remeber this that someone had told her he said it. He'd died shortly before her memory loss and she remebered nothing of her life before. However he'd witnessed a few occasions where she'd be doing something and suddenly beable to discribe having done it before though she couldn't place when or why. Before he could say anything else the 'purring' of an engine sounded from somewhere near the house. They quickly tossed the hay into the pen for the goats and made there way up towards the house. The truck radio was turned up as loud as it went and the doors were open. Standing onto of the bags of feed was Matt who was playing an invisible gutiar and singing along.Bakura and Lilly had already had comenced distributing the bags to the proper barns and made it to the truck the same time Serena and he did.

"I'll have to show you. It's really easy. Start with something with no kick and as you get better we'll move into the ones that'll send a four year old flying." Lilly was saying. Bakura seemed to be completely obsorbed in the topic at hand because he just missed walking into the barn wall.

"What's tha'?" Serena asked. She'd often times talk with a twang, or shorten her words just for the fun of it.

"He ain't never shot a gun... Oooo We'll have to show you archery too. It's beautifull. I heard tell of a guy who shot a deer once the deer was split open where it practically gutted it's self and still managed to land in the man's pick-up." Lilly gave of a twisted grin. She loved stories with blood, guts, and gore. It had to be what made her such an agreeable compaion for his darker half. "Any of ya checked my girl lately?" By that she'd meant Katelyn.

"Ya. We were just over tossin' the girls some hay. You guys have a nice trip?" Serena asked. It was at that moment Matt jumped out of the truck."Wonderful proformance."

"Thanks. As for the trip it was nice. I've got myself a extra job. Seein' as ya'll ain't gonna be needin' me much 'round here. I'm going to load feed for folks down at the feed store. With it being a family bussiness and a few pretty lies I don't need to get a physical and all the paper work." Lilly smacked him upside the head for this announcement.

"Hold up slick. You've not given me your two week. If you just walk out I don't have to pay you for the past week. You would be abandoning your postion. Now unload some feed. I've got things todo today." Matt obeyed. Ryou had to give it to the girl. She wasn't a huge, scary looking person. She was a sixteen year old girl, with a tan year round from hours of work outside, and built like any other girl her age who's only fat was on her chest. But all this stay hidden behind a pair of patched bibbed over-alls, a worn out pair of shoes, and under a nice straw hat. But none of that seemed to make any difference when she gave an order. It was often followed through faster than the ones given from the parents.

Half hour later all the feed was unloaded and put away. Lilly dismissed everyone and went for a ride. It was a little after four everyday when she'd come in from these daily rides. Where she went only her and her mount knew. No one was allowed to follow her. She'd come back once or twice with 'critters' from traps put out in the woods. Chris said that Serena used to take these rides with her, but that had ended after the accident. It was in these silent hours that people wondered about as if nothing mattered anymore. It was nothing to find someone sprawled out under a tree in the grass with a book. Mr. Halse had a work shop off the office. Ryou would go there sometimes with Serena. She loved to sit in there. She said it reminded her of something. He'd often times before having met Serena wished his memories were wiped clean. Now he was glad for everyone of them.

As the sun began to dip in the sky and the smells of dinner wafted from the house the cries of a goat broke the peace. He'd never heard a cry like this. It was nearing mid October and he knew every animal now. He could reconize most their sounds and this one was of pain. From nowhere Matt came bounding across the barn yard. He was tailed by Gretchen.

"Children Dinner.." was called from in the house and he left Matt to finding the problem. He knew Matt had more experience with such matters anyway. When he reached the kitchen where normally plates would be being handed out piled high with food he found that Ginny, Virginia was Mrs. Halses first name but she often went by Ginny, was gathering old towels and calling for Bakura. Bakura had been upstair since Lilly went out on her ride. Serena nugged him and pointed at the clock. It read 6:15. Suddenly he realized what half of the comotion was about. Lilly was late. He heard a walkie-talkie go off. It was the emergancy sound. Since the walkie-talkies reached a 2 mile radius it was the signal all the local farmers used. When the sound stopped Matt's voice was there.

"Where the hell is Lils. I need her. Kate is freaking out down here. Damn it! Go away Ana." the line cut short and Lilly answered.

"What she doin' Matt?"

"Thank God. Just get here. She's screaming and beating her head on the wall."

"Okay. I'll be there in a second. I stopped at Grandpa's to check the jars. I can see the barns I'll be there as soon as I can. Don't restrain her unless she's a danger to herself. The baby doesn't matter at the moment." Serena gripped his arm.

"She can't be serious."

"Alex, get over it. Your sister knows what she's doing. Besides that she means to the farm the baby don't matter. We don't have anything placed in it. The kid isn't pure. You know it will be meat if she don't sell it as pet." Ginny scolded. Bakura entered then. Was it possible that the when he heard the desparation in Lilly's voice he actually was nervous. "Oh Bakura, You have a weak stomach?" she asked the moment she saw him.

"No." he said with all the dignity he could muster.

"Good. Take these and go to the goat barn. Matt will be there. He's going to need help. I've called his Mom. If the baby isn't born by 10 he is to come home. Otherwise he should come home as soon as possible after Kate kids. Off you go now." she handed him the towels and chased him out of the house as if he was a bothersome cat. She then looked to Ryou and Serena. "Okay now you two we can have dinner. If they need us they'll call. Jack! Come in here and get your plate."

Dinner was hurried and quiet. No one said a word and the walkie-talkie sat in the middle of the table. Silent except Mr. Lewis who lived down the road who wanted to make sure all was alright. After dinner Serena and him dueled. He beat her easily. The night drawed on. Mrs. Halse sent them to bed. Neither being tired they went to Serena's room.

"Do you think they've got everything under control out there?" he asked once they were sure her parents were in bed. He found it amazing that they could sleep with the three teens out in the barn. Justin had stumbled in after dinner, ate a ham sandwich and gone to his room. Ryou doubted he even knew what was going on out in the barn.

"Wanna find out?" she asked. He saw the smirk cross her face and knew she was planning something.

"How?"

"Easy." opening her bedside table's drawer she produced a walkie-talkie." We turn this on. Send down two blank seconds. They'll switch the channle over."

"How do you know that?"

"Chris used to walk down in the middle of the night. That was how he'd signal us that he was here."

"You remebered this?"

"Yeah. When I saw him for the first time after I woke up that was the only thing I knew about him. Kinda werid..." Her voice trailed off there were no words to discribe her problems.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Smiling Serena did as she said.

"Go to bed Serena." Mr.Halse said through the walkie-talkie.

"Now what?" he asked.

"Get your shoes. Then come back." He did as he was told as queitly as possible. When he got back to the girls' room Serena was tying her shoe. "We're going to swing out the window on to the tree. Climb to the ground and go to the barn. Okay?"

_No. Not okay. Dangerous. We are going to get caught. Then your parents will kill us. _

"Yeah."

Serena went down first. Then Ryou. He was shaking and nearly fell out of the tree twice on his way down. He'd never realized how dark it got out here. There were no lights anywhere that weren't attached to the sides of barns. Those were all motion activated.

"Take my hand. I'll show you the way." Serena said. He didn't have time to respond her hand was in his. He could make out her outline in the dark. She turned toward him with her other and she touched his face. It was an odd touch.. Gentle but seemed to send electric shocks down his body. "It's okay. No need to tremble." She didn't even need to say the words the moment she'd touched him the fear was gone. They stepped into the darkness away from the safety net the house provided.

"Hey lovebirds. Running away?" The voice made them both jump. "Lilly heard your call. I had to leave now so she told me to tell you."

"Tell us what, Matt?" Serena asked quickly.

"The baby is twisted and stuck. Lils trying to readjust the baby to no avail. If the baby isn't born by sun-up Lil says she's going to have to be shot." His word fell heavy on the darkness. They hung there for a long moment. "I've gotta go. They don't need you so just go back to bed. If you can. Next time use the fire ladder." His dry laugh was the last human voice heard in the night air for a long time.


	13. Truths and Trials

**Disclaimer:I'd like not to waste my time with this but I don't own one darn thing. Like to. The wonderus things I could do with Kura if I did own him... But I don't own any of this.**

**Truths and Trails**

Lilly woke early the next morning unwilling to open her eyes she pet the small furry creature in her lap. Her mind still belonged to the dream world. She'd been with him again. In her dream the

boy had come back and helped her run away. She still could hear his voice in her ears. Lilly's hand reached a spot without fur and her eyes shot open. It took them a moment to adjust to the dim light in the stall. Laying in her lap was Bakura's head. His body attached lay next to her she was sitting up agianst the wall. In his arms lay a black, and white goat. Her eyes searched the rest of the stall. As hard as she tried she couldn't remeber the kid being born. Her eye's caught another kid laying in the middle of the stall. From its postion she knew it was dead. Then Kate sprung to mind, she was laying sleeping soundly in the corner opposite them. Now fullly awake she found her legs were cramping from sitting pretzel style all night.

"Bakura. Bakura?" she cooed stroking his unruly white hair out of his face.

"If you've got to go, go. You don't need me to hold your hand." he answered.

"But your on me."

"Sorry, Norfret." he shifted and picked up his head laying it back down on a pile of straw. None of this matter though. Norfret is what she was called in the cursed dreams that were haunting her. Realizing he too must be dreaming or that she had misunderstood him she developed a plan. What was it she was always asking the boy in the dream?

"Promise you won't leave me?" she wondered out loud.

"Nothing, not even the gods, could make me leave you behind Nor. Now be quick about it I want to leave a hour past dawn."

Looking at her watch she realized it was only dawn now. She stood up slowly holding onto the wall to keep from falling. Her whole body was stiff and she ached in places she didn't know she could ache in. It took her a moment to get her balance. Once achieving this she scooped up the dead kid. It was a buck. She couldn't help but feel a heaviness around her heart, holding the stiff, wet creature. She took it out beyond the barns to a small mound where they'd burried their stock. She laid the little one on top of it. Matt had called this a sacrifice. Which in a sense it was. If they laid out their dead the wild beast wouldn't come into the barns. She made her way back the hem of her pants becoming soaked from morning dew and the sun warming her back. When she got back to the barn she gave Kate some vitamin water and food sprinkled with minerals. Kate greatfully excepting this the doe climbed up onto the milking stand and ate merrily as Lilly set out her next task. The moment the little one sleeping in Bakura's arms heard the milk hit the tin bucket it aroused. Slowly it found it's footing and came to stand next to Lilly coursiously chewing at her pant leg.

"Bakura, it's a hour past. You ready?" she called to him across the stall. He sat up like someone had struck him.

"Why didnt' you make me sooner Norfret, we should be leaving now?" he asked a harsh whisper.

"Because I'm Lilly. And we've nowhere to go." Lilly answered sticking her finger in the frothy milk and sucking on it. It had a thick sweet taste. She new she was depriving the little one of a few drops of closterum but that wouldn't kill it.

"When was it born?" Bakura asked scooting back against the wall carefull to miss the wet, gooey stuff on the ground, matted in the straw.

"I don't know. I'm gessusing this to be the second. I already dispossed of the little buck." she sat the bucket down beside her and turned around on the stool picking up the kid. She turned in on it's back. "This is a doe. Good job Katy. A little girl nice and healthy. I'll put flyers up next week." Katelyn didn't respond only continued to munch.

"Neither of us were awake?"

"I don't gessus so. But she did good on her own. She normally does. But now we get to put her out with the older stock beyond breeding age."

"Your in a cheerful mood this morning." She shrugged and stood up with the kid in tow carrying the milk bucket.

"Is there reason not to be? But I'd like to know what you know of Norfret."

Bakura stood up to quick and fell back down, his legs giving way under him. Normally Lilly would of been laughing but now she just sat down the bucket and went to help him. It was strange what one night in a barn could do to a person. Not only could it make you stiff and achey but it could give you a new outlook on what you have. Lilly had found a companion in her night in the barn.

"She's someone I knew a long time ago." he said. This wasn't a lie she decided. Maybe her dreams were real. Maybe Elaine wasn't just blowing steam. Maybe she had an old soul. Of course Lilly's upraising had never given her the chance to think seriously about reincarnation.

"In Egypt maybe?"

"Maybe." Now they were both standing and started out of the stall with the kid and milk.

"Was she a friend?"

"Sometimes."

"She knew you well?"

"Enough."

"What should we name the little one?" Bakura followed her into the goat tack stall. Within were buckets and bottles and barrels of feed, hoof triming tools, sheers, and other such things. Lilly paused to look at him in this new light. "Will you get me that bottle please?" she asked pointing to the smallest bottle on the top shelf. Bakura nodded and handed it to her.

"Why ask me about the name?"

"It's tradition...Bakura I've been having these dreams." she didn't know why she was telling him of all people about the dreams. She didn't know why she was drawn to him and repeled from him at the same time. He had a rebel streak in him a country mile wide and twice that long. He was unlike anyone she had known before he showed up on her farm. Only in her mind and books had she heard of such people existing."I'm this girl in ancient Egypt. My parents weren't married. My father is a man of the court and my mother is a peasant. Your there too. Or someone who looks like you is. His father beats him. He's one of my best and only friends. One day our village was burned we were practically the only ones to live. My father shows up all high and mighty on horseback and takes me to his home."

"After a while he starts to get drunk and beat you. He calls you by the name of your mother. His wife disappeared long ago and you were one of the few who knew he had killed her. One night after a beating where he cut the inside of your thigh, the boy came. He crept in through the window and made you a promise. He promised nothing would make me lose you again. I came to visit nearly every night after that. When your leg is healed you limped a bit. But it didn't matter. We ran off." Lilly listened to him. While she'd been speaking she'd poured milk in to the bottle and now she held it halfway through putting the nipple on it.

"You had to leave. Your father was trying to get you married to one of the sons of the court. You were afraid of everything. You never left my sight after the night you ran away. We were hunted like wild beast along the Nile. At some point we were seperated. You went out to dispel some urine and didn't come back. I searched everywhere for you. Even went back to your father. I seached tombs, stables, homes, even the river. I thought maybe you'd been kidnapped and were being forced to work in some tavern being played with by any man who'd pay. I came up with lies I told myself. I said you played me for a fool and had just used me to get out of your father's house. Then"

"Here they are Serena." Ryou's voice wafted in the small room.

"Mornin' Ry. How are you?" Lilly greeted quick to recover from her trance.

"Good. I see you got a little one." Lilly nodded.

"Tis a girl. Just waitin' on 'Kura here to name 'er." Serena stepped in behind Ryou making it nearlly impossible to move without tripping over someone or thing.

"Just one? I thought she was a twin." Serena said distaste evident in her voice.

"There were twins. Buck and doe, the little boy was dead though."

"What's her name?" the younger girl asked.

"Bakura's going to name her. If it were up to me I'd stick with the type of name the others have. The billys are all named after the knights of the round table except Merlin. The nannys all have names starting with Lady. Or are named after the wives or misstresses of the knights." Lilly imformed the room. Though he knew it was for his own benefit alone.

"Right. Kate not taking the baby?" Serena asked.

"Didn't seem intrested in her. She was in Bakura's arms all night so. I was going to try to introduce them later."

"Well, you go ahead and feed 'er and then come in for breakfast. Matt'll be here soon." The two younger teens left Ryou inquiring about bottle feeding and other goaty things. Their previous conversation lost as he watched her try and give the bottle to the little doe.

"Can I try?" he asked. The little one took right onto it when he tried. Lilly huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. She stood in the corner pouting pretending to do something useful.

The day continued on as normal after a large breakfast. Toward nightfall the animals got extra hay as always on a Saturday night. They'd tried several times to get Katelyn to take the little doe but she always refused it. So now that Bakura sat on Lilly's bed waiting for her to get off the phone and continue showing him Yugi's placement in the latest tournment. There was a shoe box open next to him filled with cards. Some sorted into decks, others according to type or strengths all with rubberbands around them. He picked up the only lose card. It was a Blue Eyes with a siganture on it. Seto Kiaba. The wall over Lilly's bed was adonrned in her own drawings of the young CEO. In his lap sat the little doe, who still had no name but was being called Baby Girl for now.

"Yes, sir. I'll ask him... Of course...First thing in the morning...Thank you...Send my love to the little ones...Night...You too." she was talking to Father Lou.

"What he want?"

"He's going to be busy with some witch burning thing or another with some of the more uptight memebers of his congergation on Halloween and wants us to take the kids trick or treating." She sat the phone aside and began typing hurridly. There was suddenly a song playing over the computers sound system. "Yugi Mutto did well as always. He is the king of games and no less should be thought of such a talented youth. He's once again come out on top with this tournument. His last duel is to be Monday at 3PM with Mr. Seto Kiaba. This will be a duel for the books and you'll be able to get a full naration here in our chat box." she read."So basically Seto is about to get his cute little butt kicked by the shrimp." He smirked. She had a soft spot for the CEO."What?"

"Nothing at all. You gonna duel me or not?"

**A/N Sorry about taking so long on the last chapter. I had a case of writers block and I was grounded. I'm back now and will be working on the next chapter momentarily. Finally nearly half way through the year. I've read and reread and read this chapter agian. I feel like I'm pushing the plot to hard. Like pulling teeth. But after this chapter there's alot of fun to be had. The boys have yet to learn what a farm is like in the winter. Plus with the new understanding between Lil and Kura I can put more meaning into their silence. I sure hope I can at least. I know this all sucks so get over it. I also think I've doubled a day. **


	14. Mud and Teenagers

**A/N**First off I must appologize on how long it's taken to get this chapter up.But I'm sure you understand with the school year coming to a close. Marik, Hyzenthlay, and Kurai thanks for your first time reviews, I hope to hear more from you. Kerei, hun, I luv ya hugs You've stuck around and reveiwed from the off and without you I would have stopped writing when my lil sis the realy Serena lost intrest. Marik you said this was a unquie fic I hope that's a good thing. Well, the chapter title has probably already caught your eye so I'll shut up. **Thank You!**

**Mud and Teenagers **

Ryou awoke early the next morning aware of only two things. He was on the floor of his room with Serena, and Bakura and Lilly were in the girls room talking in whispers. Mrs. H had given the Okay for the later two to spend the night in the same room due to the fact that the moment either left the goats side she screamed bloody murder. But that was no excuse for his current position. So he eased himself from Serena's grip, as she had her arm around him, then managed to get a blanket for her from his yami's bed and crawl into his own. It was Sunday morning so he only had a little while to wait before Bakura and Lilly left for church. Of course that was saying Matt was on time. He found the silence between the three most disturbing the day before. Matt seemed angry with the other two who just seemed to be sharing in some secret.He rolled over to face the wall and was nearly back to sleep all the worries in his mind swiming wildly when the voices came to his room.

"Told you. Now let's hurry up. Matt'll be here soon." Lilly whispered harshly.

"I've half a mind to"

"It doesn't matter what you've a mind to do. We did the same thing. Mama ain't stupid if she thought anything would happen she'd of bolted us in seprate rooms." There was a long pause before he heard them shuffle out. He lay dozing in and out of sleep untill he heard the door shut and the light click of the dead bolt. Then sleep over whelmed him and sleep fully consumed him.

Lilly sat in the back seat holding a bottle for the goat in her arms. The only sound in the Jeta was the grunting of the little creature she was feeding. The two teens in the front seat refused to speak to one another. They'd never really said much but we're at least social before. Matt had somehow found out about the night in the barn and upon seeing the goat figured out the sleeping arangments. Matt hadn't looked at Lilly at all and she knew what he thought. The ride was easily uneventful. They went in to the church and down to the basment where the Sunday school and day care,for those to young for the school, was held. Lilly carried the box with the little doe in it to their room. Already three todlers sat playing with legos. The two girls were building a house for their Barbies while the boy sat stacking them haphazardly around his G.I. Joe.

"Guess what I brought." Lilly exclaimed announcing her presence. The three toddlers sprung up and came to pull at her sleeve, or in the case of Luke, he climbed up Bakura's leg.

"Baka. Baka. Baka." he chanted in a sing song voice.

"Morning little one." Bakura greeted.

"What did Miss Wiwwy bwing me Baka?"

"You'll see." Bakura plucked the small boy off his hip and sat him on the ground. Lilly sat the box on the floor in a corner out of the way. Both the girls cooed over the small creature withing the cardboard prison.

"Matt, I'm gonna go tell Lou we're here." Lilly said. Matt nodded but didn't reply. Lilly wasn't about to beg for forgivness nor would she explain herself. Instead she went out of the small room back up stairs into a small office off down a hall to the right. Father's office was more of a broom closet then and office. He sat at a small desk and went over his sermon.

"Father, we're here." he looked up and smiled.

"Good. How's the little goat? Have a name yet?"

"She's fine, but we still haven't found a name for the little goat."

"Did the boys agree to take the kids trick-or-treating?"

"Bakura will. I haven't talked to Matt yet."

"Okay. Well people will be ariving soon you best get back down there. Thanks agian for helping out so much with the kids."

"Father, I wouldn't have it any other way." She thought she heard him mutter something but didn't go back to listen.

After the 11 o'clock mass the goat was restless from having been petted and poked at for the past 4 hours. Matt seemed to have decided nothing had happened the previous two nights but still didn't say more than he had to. Lilly knew this was because she'd kicked his ego. Allison was the last child left in their care beyond Lou's neices and nefew.

"Teddy, will be here soon Miss Lilly. He likes to talk to the girlies." Allison asured her as she gave the goat a bottle.

"I doubt he'd leave his little sister. Ted don't seem like someone who would want to face your mother."

"Nope. Mommy gets really ugly when she's mad." the little girl giggled.

"Lils Ted's nearly here." Matt called from the door way where he was picking up Barbie clothes, grumbling about the size of the dolls clothes. Sure enough the not thirty seconds later Ted walked through the door.

"Hello Miss Lilly." he greeted coming to kneel infront of his sister. "What have you got there sis?" he asked.

"Miss Lilly's baby goat. Itin't her cute?" Allison asked. Lilly wondered if she had ever looked at her brother with the admiration that was in Allison's baby blue eyes.

"She sure is. Did you ask Lilly what you were talking about the other day?"

"Oh. Miss Lilly, will you teach me how to ride?" Allison asked. Allison was the oldest kid in their little day care. Her parents didn't want her in Sunday school and the next year she would be sitting up stairs in a pew with her family.

"A horse?" the little girl nodded. "How about you come over to my house on Friday after school and we'll pick you out a horse."

"Really? You'll teach me?"

"Sure. As long as you promise to listen to me. Horses can be very dangerous. I don't want you to get hurt." Ted snatched up the goat as his baby sister jumped off the chair and threw her arms around Lilly's legs.

"Thank you Miss Lilly."

Like every Sunday Ryou and Serena had gone down stairs to check the others. They'd been busy so the pair hadn't stayed long. Serena had spent most of the time since the goat was born coming up with names. The newest one was Interplanet Janet. After which she had started singing the song and even put the video in when they got home. Ryou was forced out of the house when he found himself singing along with Serena and the tape. He wondered around for a while before finding himself comencing in the day's chores. He'd nearly finished milking the last goat when the trio pulled in the drive. He quickened his pace as much as possible careful not to injure the goat's teets. He'd taken to milking the goats which he'd heard Matt make jokes about. He finished just in time to set the goat out as Lilly came in talking to herself. Or so he asumed he didn't stay long enough to find out. Instead he went to find Serena. She was, as he expected, in her room working on the end of her school work. So he flopped on to her bed and waited for her to finish.

"Where's your hat?" she asked as she printed off her book report.

"In my room." he muttered. He had only excepted the hat because she had spent all her saved allowance for it after discovering she'd missed his birthday. It was a deep brown leather cowboy hat.

"Why donna you wear it?" she asked. He only shrugged. "What you wanna do today?"

"I don't know. There's nothing to do here on Sundays."

"Suteki mentioned a party or something." Serena mummbled reading back over her summary of The Seven Songs of Merlin.

"I don't much care for that sort of thing... We can go though if you'd like."

"Nah. It'll just end up with one of the morons getting into the host's dad's beer. Then half the kids'll have a hang over tommorrow morning."

"I thought this was supposed to be a quiet little town. Where every girl is the apple of their father's eye and the boys are all the boy next door." he teased.

"Once upon a time. Of course ask Lils and things are still like that. Oh they home yet?"

"Yeah."

"Good. I've come up with another name."

"What's this one?"

"Lady Elanie. She was the mother of Sir Galahad. She tricked Sir Launcelot into sleeping with her making him think she was Queen Gwenuvier. Isn't that cool?"

"Not really. Launcelot was King Arthour's best friend, and he meant to sleep with his best friends wife? That just sounds like a Soap Opera. What happened to Galahad?"

"He was knighted after being raised by nuns or something. Well first he was a squire. But in the long run he became known as the perfect knight and one of the two knights who claimed the Holy Grail."

"Well at least their son was a good person."

"Do you think they'll like that name?"

"Lilly will. I don't know about Bakura."

Bakura agreed to the name simply because Lilly seemed to like it. He'd been doing a lot of that lately. She seemed oblivious though. Since he'd realized who it was that she reminded him so much of he'd had a lot of trouble telling her no. Which, as far back as he could remeber, was never a problem. He couldn't remeber much about this Norfret girl. Just the basics. Enough to know she was something else. On Friday Allison had shown up with her older brother. This was the pairs second visit this time was for Allison to get riding lessons. She'd chosen to learn to ride on Athena. The school week even passed by without problems. That Saturday he was supposed to go trick-or- treating with Father Lou's neices and nefew. The costumes he'd seen we're disgusting. You could dress like anything from Barbie to Bob the Builder to your favorite duel monsters card. Of course there were more traditional costumes like cowboys, princesses, vampires and ghosts. Lilly hadn't said what she was going as yet. But had promised the children she'd dress up.

He stared at the cracks in the plaster on the ceiling listening to Chris and Lilly outside the window. He'd found an old water gun and was chasing her around the yard with it. As grown up as Lilly tried to act she'd never really gotten passed age seven at heart. It was even more obvious as she laughed and called out empty threats at her cousin. Somewhere out there mounted up on horses was his hikira, Serena, and one of her friends Suteki. They were rarely apart. From what was said Suteki was the only one of Serena's friends to have stayed around after she lost her memory. He figured if he understood either of the two sisters it would be Serena. But she was a complete mystery. Which was, he gessued, the reason Ryou was so fasinated by her. One day she was this little angle who'd never dream of doing anything harmful the next day she would be wearinig all black have her nails and lips painted black and a fake piercing in her eyebrow. No one ever said anything about the frequent personality changes. Mrs. Halse said she was just trying to find herself.

This was Lady El's last night week in the house. She'd be moving to the barn this weekend. He considered this as the goat nuzzled into him. He had wondered around with hickies on his ear lobes for the first two weeks. Which had made him the butt of most of Matt's jokes. Now that the goat was moving to the barn Matt's topic of choice was separation anxiety. Matt liked to make fun of anything he didn't understand or didn't like. Lilly never paid him much attention when he'd start his little jokes otherwise the two spoke in a short hand language of their own. It wasn't just them who spoke this language it was all of the Halses, Mandy, and Matt. Just then something smacked into this window making Lady jump up and shriek. Bakura sat up and pulled the kid into his lap cooing to her as he investigated the window. It was absoultly soaked with a yellow liquid. As he stared at the window a fist size brown rock hit it. Again the goat tried to leave but he stroaked Lady El behind the ears and she relaxed.

"Hey! WHITEY! Come play with us!" Lilly hollared. Normally she spoke a rather understandable version of the english language. But when ever she got excited or upset her words slurred and a twang entered her voice. Bakura held back a laugh and opened the window as El beat her head into it trying to get to Lilly's voice.

"What if I don't want to?" he called back.

"Chrissy did I ask him if he wanted to?" she asked her cousin her left hand placed on her hip. She looked so sassy standing down below.

"Nah. You never ask. I ain't never once heard ya ask for a single danged thing." Chris the son of a teacher never swore unless it was well warrented.

"Fine. Elly's getting restless anyway." He called down to them. Then shutting the window he plucked up the kid and made his way outside.

"The terd bombs and water gun is a little boring. What you guys wanna do?" Chris asked. He was the only one walking looking forward. Bakura and Lilly walked backward to watch Lady El. "You can stop watching her. My goodness I've not seen you act like this over an animal since Seth was born."

"Oh hush Christopher." he grumbled. Chris laughed at him when Lady El began to stumble on her landing from one of her leaps and he sprang forward to catch the little goat.

"There's nothing to stop all this rain from flooding the feilds, aside from the trenches." Lilly said with a grin, turning back around.

"So?" Chris asked.

"We've got a truck with 4-wheel drive, tweenty arcers of mud, and all day."

"What about her?" Bakura asked picking up on Lilly's line of thought.

"There's no one in the stalls down in the goat barn. You go put her in there with one of the younger kids and I'll go get the truck started?" she suggested. Bakura nodded. "Chris?"

"Got gas?"

"No, the stink is probably the dung heap." Lilly grinned. Bakura reached down and plucked up the goat.

"I'll be right back."

"Meet us down at the edge of the field."

It took the group all of fifteen minutes to get the trio out to the field. Chris drove the truck out and circled the fields keeping the speed up. Lilly rolled the window down and stuck her head out. Careless of the hunks of mud and corn stalks that flew up. He did donuts in great cirlces. Then he'd just race from one end to the next.

"Kura, you ever drive anything like this?" Bakura shook his head.

"No, never drove a car." Bakura said looking at the steering wheel. Chris stopped walked to the other side of the truck.

"Scoot over and take the wheel. You've gotta learn sometime." Chirs said hauling himself into the cab of the pick-up. Bakura scooted over and took the wheel. He pressed his foot down on the gas and they shot right out of the field straight for the woods. About half an inch from a tree he slammed the break.

"Why the hell would you want to opperate these things?" He demanded slamming the door. Lilly filed out behind Chris looked at the front bumber of her truck.

"No damage. Get back in. This time don't put your foot all the way down and steer." she told him. Bakura rolled his eyes and hesitantly started the truck again. Lilly talked him through backing up. "No really slowly put your foot down untill you get to a speed you like... Good. Now sweetie you're gonna want to turn." she said ignoring Chris' and Bakura's looks. Bakura, all the same, did as he was instructed and was soon driving large circles around the field at a rather slow speed compared to the one Chris had kept. He'd slow way down and almost stop then speed back up. It was on one of his slowing downs that he stopped.

"What are you doing?" Chris asked.

"It won't go." He said pressing the gass down completely. The truck groaned. She leaned forward and patted the dash..

"Come on baby doll. Ole Bri come on baby." she chanted. The truck still refused to move."Okay Bakura you're gonna stay in here and keep hitting the gas. Chris wanna get out and push?" her cousin nodded so she slid out of the cab with him and both of them moved to the back of the truck. Leaning into it they pushed.

"Cat litter?" she shook her head.

"Not yet." The truck began to move again then slid back down into the hole it was creating. "Okay let's try the cat litter." she sighed. "Stop turn it off. Uh bring me the radio from in there." Bakura jumped out of the truck and moved to her side having an easier time of moving than they were. He didn't sink half as much.

"Here, who's back there that you can get to help?" he asked.

"Matt, he said he'd be in the stables for a bit. He wasn't going to leave untill just before dinner. Mathew? You there?" she said into the microphone.

"Yeah, on my way out what's wrong?"

"We're stuck."

"Stuck? How'd you get stuck?"

"We took the truck out. You wanna bring us some cat litter?" she waited a moment "Please?" she pouted. She hated to beg, or pout, or even have to ask for help. Being self sufient was one of the biggest ability you must have to become a Seto Kiaba clone.

"Yeah, I'll come out on the tractor. It'll be faster and I'll bring chains so we can pull it out if we have to."

"Thanks. You here from the girls and Ry lately?"

"The SSR, as Suteki imformed me they are to be called, just got back and put away their tack. If you need them I can go grab them."

"No, just wanted to make sure they got back okay."

Bakura sat on the empty bag of cat litter. Lilly knelt at his side occasionally barking orders to Matt and Chris who were busy trying to rock and pull the truck out of it's pit. Matt would regularly let out a sting of swears. Never before had he seen Lilly afraid. Now she seemed to be.

"We might have to leave it and get your dad out here." Matt called swinging down off the tractor

"NO! We can't he'll skin me."

"Okay, I've got one more idea Sissy." Chris said grabbing one of the chains. "We hook this to the bumber and then to the tractor and drag 'er out." Matt shrugged.

"It's worth a shot. I just hope we don't hurt the truck. Dad'll kill us if we do." It was funny hearing them talk about Mr. Halse as if he were dangerous. He'd never so much as raised his voice. He shot a look at Lilly. Her hands were shaking so she'd stuck them between her knees pressing them together. But she continued to rock back and forth

"You gonna make it there?" she nodded.

"Dad loves the cars. I mean if it were an animal or one of our selves that we got stuck or hurt or whatever he'd flip but the cars. When Justin was fourteen he drove Dad's brand new pick up through the pasture. No biggie we'd done it half a dozen times before. This time Jus wasn't paying attention and crashed the truck into a corner post. Killed the car. Dad went nuts." she shook her head. "I'm in deep this time." she smiled.

"What?"

"I was trying to break Seth and Mandy had Loki in the pen he crashed into. I never thought about it before. I s'pose I was more worried about my brother in that moment. They were good horses untill they saw the crash. After that they started breaking out of everything." She lost her balance and flopped into the thick mud. Before he could move to pull her back to her feet the truck and tractor reeved in usion he looked up and the truck slowly moved out of the mud. From the tractor Matt let out a triumphant hoot.

"We can stop the SOS signals we're free!" Chris yelled out the window. Lilly stood up to fall down again. She laid there for a moment.

"Kura, would you mind?"

"Yes, but I don't want to listen to you're complaining either." he said reaching down to pull her to her feet. They took off after the truck and tractor. The time Lils had spent on the ground had been just enough for them to unhook the too machines and take off. Leaving Lilly and Bakura to chase after them. Falling more than a few times. As they both lay on their stomaches in the mud they lost sight of their prey.

"Which do you think would be worse for them: dueling them both infront of Serena, Ry, and Suteki or just whoopin up on 'em?" Bakura grinned and rolled over on his back in the mud. Lilly followed suit.

"I'm always up for both."

"Mud angles." she said moving her arms and legs in a motion he'd seen children do when laying in the snow.

"Wha?"

"I don't know. What else would we do? We're sinking nose deep in mud." She sat up and looked around. She stood up careful not to fall and offered him her hand. He took it.

"What are you thinking?" she smirked and reached in her pocket, she pulled out Matt's cell phone.

"He's an idiot." she laughed "Com'on we'll go over to Eyeore's Manision and I'll call SSR."

"What the hell is that about do you think?"

"It used to be double S. I gessus Suteki finally adopted Ry. Anyway we'll have them send the boys back out." She had hold of his hand and was dragging him heedlessly toward the place he knew the stick manison sat. "There are buckets in there. Sand pails really but they hold quiet a few mud balls." he caught her line of thought then. Tweenty minutes later he huddled down in one of the trenches watching the to boys approach. They would periodically call out for Lils and Bakura but the two didn't moved.

"When?"

"Don't shot untill you see the white of their eyes." she grinned. She'd smeared mud across her face and declared it war paint.

"I'm going to smash the video."

"Interplanet Janet she's galaxy girl... something something from future world. Travels like a rocket with the comet team there's never been a planet Janet hasn't seen." he elbowed her in the ribs and she cried out. "They saw us jerk. She yanked him up and shoved the a bucket in his hand. "NOW!" She threw the first mud ball smacking Matt in the forehead.

"Dude that is not cool." he screamed. Bakura refused to let her have all the fun and opened fire too. In moments the four were splattered with mud and scrambling to make more mud balls.

**A/N** I hope this chapter was long enough. I'll work on more ASAP. I turn my school stuff in this week and will be done. So hope you liked. I've said it before, if you have any ideas or whatever just say so. E-mail me or AIM sis3922 or YIM sis3922 or just review. THANKS again. Oh Mattea, I'll have more for your character in the next post.


	15. Halloween

**Review Responses:** **Trinn,** I fixed Chapter 8 for you I don't know where that paragraph went it was in my saved file on my computer... Not the first freaky thing to happen with my pc though. Thanks for the heads up. **Marik,** I can't believe you said that. I've been trying to come up with some animal to start a quarrel with Kura-kuns. I'm shocked I didn't think of that sooner. We have rosters we lovingly call the Red Roster Gang, it's a bunch of red rosters who beat the life out of the other rosters. One of them though is this little guy and he will attack anything that moves. Cute fluffy little guy though. **Mattea,** if you don't mind I'm gonna kill Kat. She saw your first review and didn't mention it being you. Didn't even say 'Hey that's Mattea's rabbit's name.' **Kerei,** I'm starting to think you might want me UPDATE grins Sorry about the song though. But if it helps everytime there's a lull in the thought process that song plays in my head. Kinda like the music when your on hold. That one or Elbow Room or Mother Nescities... Another reason to kill my lil sis she loves the School House Rock tapes.

**A/n** flips through bright orange folder of Bakura's Own Body notes Okie I'm ready. Today's my 16th birthday and I'm spending it writing this for you people. I could be doing just about anything and I write a chappie for you... j/k It's my birthday but there is nothing else I could be doing.

**Halloween**

Suteki, Serena, and Ryou were sitting in the grass off to the side watching the show. The show being the mud monsters. When Serena had answered the phone he hadn't thought his yami, or any other yami for that matter, would be in a mud fight, ever. It had never occured to him either than he'd never shown his yami how to work a hose. So it was rather comical to watch the four mud covered teens trying to hose eachother off. Lilly didn't even try to take over the job. Instead she had grabbed a stick and was shaving mud off of her.

"How could they be sooooo childish?" Suteki asked hugging her knees. For the end of October the weather wasn't very cold in the middle of the afternoon. It was mid 50's of a day with a light breeze.

"Oh, I'm sure Lils will release the inner Kiaba in a few minutes." Serena said. She was laying on her stomach her head propped up on her fists. Ryou hugged his jacket tighter around them sheilding off the light spray that reached them.

"What's that supposed to mean? Kiaba's sorta cute in a 'one day I shall rule the world and you won't even know it' kinda way. Your sister is just... ewww." Suteki said nodding to Lilly who was bent over now trying and failing in getting the mud out of her hair.

"I mean as soon as she's cleaning up after her revenge she'll return to chasing after those fools like they're a bunch of disobedient kids." Serena clarified. "Wait, you like Kiaba? You know he's full of himself right? I mean total control freak."

"Ehh, that can always be changed once I get ahold of him." Suteki grinned.

"I wouldn't be so sure. He's a my way or the high way person." Ryou supplied only making Sutekie stare.

"You've met the genious CEO?" she asked as if the idea had never struck her that he had met Kiaba in Battle City or Duelist Kingdom.

"Yeah Kie, I've met him a few times. Just in tournements, though. It's not like we've sat down and had a conversation." he tried to remove the attention from him. "What are we doing for Halloween?" Both girls shrugged.

"There are some haunted houses and a couple a parties but nothing very exciting." Suteki yawned. "You know what guys? I'm bored. Why don't we go do something?" she stood up and streached. Suteki was taller than he was, with chestnut hair that always lay in a braid reaching her lower back, she had hazel eyes that reminded him of a cat the way she so rarely blinked and seemed to stare right through everything. There was little he could see that she had in common with Serena but he figured it was the shared past, even if Serena couldn't remeber it, that tied them.

"What are we gunna do? We went out and rode untill we were sore. We've got nuthin else to do."

"The goats. Let's go play with them." she suggested. Serena sighed and shook her head.

"You are hopeless. I suppose we could go hang out over there."

Lilly gave up on getting all the mud of her clothes and hair. So she twisted her hair up and put a pencil through it keeping it in place. Justin had loaned, unknowingly, Matt and Chris some clothes untill they could get home and change and Bakura was in the shower. So she changed and washed her hands. She only had a few days untill Halloween and her costume wasn't finished. With this in mind she drug out her sewing machine and the fabric and started hemming her costume. She'd thought long and hard about what she'd go with the little ones as and finally decided on the one thing her mother had never let her dress up as when she was a child. Or at least, at first, she come up with a time period. The anicent world. Anything where she'd be only half dressed had always been off limits.

Her costume was finished except for the hem. But she wasn't sure she liked it. I seemed far to long and flowy to be chasing after three toddlers all night. The hem took all of thirty minutes to get in to her likeing by then Bakura was out of the shower and she could hear him down stairs. She'd catch a word everynow and then that led her to believe he was trying to explain how to duel to Serena. Matt and Chris had gone home, Suteki had been driven home by Matt, Ryou rarely left Serena's side and she was with Bakura, Mom and Dad were at work, and Justin was out somewhere with Mandy. So with this in mind she went to take a shower and try on her costume.

It needed taken in a little but fit wonderfully aside from that. She had to alter quiet a bit from the actual ancient Eypytian clothing because they wore nearly transparent things. That was something she didn't even want to think about going with so she used a white fabric. She'd made it look lose but there was a slip underneath that actually hid everything from sight and made it difficult to put on. Once she'd hidden her costume and put the sewing machine away she went down stairs to watch tv.

Bakura sat waiting in the living room. Any minute now Lilly would come down stairs and they'd be off to go trick-or-treating. Something he'd never done before. From what Serena said kids dressed up like a bunch of fairy tale creatures, good or bad, and went around with pillow cases and begged for candy. It was a complete mockery of the people who really had to beg for their things. He leaned back into the sofa and streached. Out in the barn Lady El would be munching on hay and getting ready to go to sleep. It was about 7:30, the begging started at 8, so Lilly was taking her sweet time.

"Baka! Baka! Baka!" he heard the chant barely a second before three little bodies jumped on him.

"He's my Baka sissy." Luke moaned clinging to Bakura's neck. Serena came to the rescue grabbing up Annet and colapsing into a near by arm chair.

"No, it's my Baka, Bubby." Mary laughed kissing Bakura's cheek.

"So what are you girls?" Serena asked playing with the glittery wings on Annet's back.

"I is a fairy princess." Annet said with a grin revealing a missing front tooth.

"And I'm a... What am I Annet?" Mary asked her sister as she curled down under Bakura's arm. Mary was wearing a pink and blue dress and in a Kroger bag she'd dropped on the floor seemed to be a hat and staff.

"You were... Dark Magic Barbie... Yep, yep that's what you is." Annet told her sister.

"No, Annet is a princess with fairy wings because she a whinny brat, Mary is a Dark Magician Girl, and I'm..." Luke played with a brown tail that was sewn to his costume and looked at the red foam boots that had been placed over his gym shoes. "I'm Boots." he said still studying his shoes. "Uncle Lou said the store didn't have any Dora clothes left." Bakura held back a laugh. He wasn't to clear on who Boots was but he knew that Dora was a little girl on a cartoon.

"Ohhh What are you Liwwy?" Annet asked looking over his head. Even Serena was staring.

"I'm a person from a looooooong time ago."

"Egyptshun?" Mary asked.

"Yep, and you are the cutes Magician Girl I've ever seen." Lilly said coming around to kneel next to the couch. She wore a long robe that looked like the text book version of what an Egyptian might have worn. She was definatly more discreet than the images in his head. Her hair layed thick and black and was definatly soaked in some sort of oil. So was her skin, it's usual tan was made darker by some oil that made her shine a little. She wore simple golden hoops in her ears, a wide gold necklace with a few deep blue and turquoise jewels in it, and on her arms were gold bands that nearly reached her elbows. She had lined her eyes with black liner and her cheeks were a red, for the first time since he'd met her she'd painted her nails. But she finished off the enitre outfit by wearing her red lady bugs. Lady bugs, were the name of a ugly pair of shoes that he'd seen sold in just about every garndening section of every store he'd been in. Lilly smiled slightly and looked down at her knees when she saw him staring.

"I don't like it. You look like a clown who got into Mary's clothes." Annet whinned from Serena's lap.

"See Baka? Annet is a whinny brat." Luke giggled standing up and going to take Lilly's hand. "We'll look funny together, Kay?" the little munchin asked. Lilly nodded.

"I couldn't think of a better monkey to spend the night with." Luke giggled.

"Hey Flower Child." Bakura looked up to see Father Lou standing there. "Love the costume. You're the other reason some many mothers are flipping about costumes. Either children are dressed like they should be in a half way house or in hell." he grinned. "Though, I'd not mind coming to speak to you in a either place." Lilly seemed not to notice the comment instead she sat down on the floor and started talking about Boots.

15 minutes later the three toddlers were safely strapped into car seats, the lady of the Nile was in the drivers seat and Bakura sat in the passanger seat. Gretchen laid on the floor of the mini-van. The dog was always following a Lilly's heels but hardly ever got in the car when she left. Tonight she refused to get out so they decided to take her along. A full moon was rising in the sky by the time they hit the first street in the sub-division. By the time they came to the end of the eighth Annet was piggy-backing Bakura, Gretchen was walking behind the wagon that held a nearly sleeping Mary and Luke. Lilly had tried to explain her costume so many times that now she just said Cleopatra. Bakura on the other hand was mesmerized by all the costumes. He's seen a dozen or so duel monster dragons, and magiaians. There were other's in witches' hats carrying broom sticks, and kids wearing a white sheet with two wholes cut in it for eyes. Then there were the cowboys and girls. There was one space man who had gotten mad about the amount of candy one house was giving and thrown his helmet aross the street hitting a brand new car and making the alarm go off. All the while the boy kept screaming 'To infinity and beyond.'

"You kids ready to go home?" Lilly asked giving the wagon tug to get it over the curb.

"I'm weady." Mary yawned. Luke and Annet nodded in agreement.

"I think my pony is tired." Annet said petting Bakura's head.

They took the children home and helped get them tucked in to bed. Bakura ended up reading a bed time story to Luke, before he was allowed to leave. The carseats were unhooked and put in Lou's car and the bags of candy were hidden. The way home was quiet. 700WLW was on the radio talking about ghost incounters, and the moon hung full in the sky. They passed one house that was covered in toilet paper. Lilly shook her head and muttered something about poor Ms. Lewis. They pulled in the drive and hit something. Gretchen was bouncing around the back seat now like the balls in a lottery machine.

"What was that?" Lilly asked looking at him. Her cheeks had faded and eyeliner was slightly smeared around the edges. He shook his head.

"I don't know." she sighed her green eyes rolled up to stare at the moon.

"They're may not be werewolves but that moon has some funky effects on things." she said turning off the van and sliding out. Bakura followed suit letting Gretz out with him. Sitting infront of the van was a small cage. He picked it up and the door flung open. Out of it shot a warm ball covered in feathers. His face was beat with wings. By the time they'd both recovered from their shock the bird was already out of sight but Gretz had chased after the critter. "Shut don't kill it." Lilly called after her dog. He stuck the cage in a barn while she pulled the van in a little further. Then they retreated inside.

"How was you night Stinky?" Mr. H asked looking up from his paper. Mr. Halse was one of those dads who isn't around half as much as he'd like but when he is there's just this look his kids give him that screams everything his time with them means. He had a ruff look. He always looked like he hadn't had time to shave the last couple of days, nearly every pair of jeans the man owned had a rip or tear in them and he always wore a flanal button up shirt. Even in the middle of summer when the days reach the upper 90's.

"Pretty good, Popa." she said working the arm bands off her arms.

"How 'bout you son? The girls didn't run ya ragged did they?" he winked. This was his joking. Bakura shook his head.

"No, the girls weren't a problem at all, even Lilly behaved herself." Mr. Halse laughed.

"Good." Lilly slugged him as soon as she had put down her bands.

"I'm gonna go to bed, Daddy. You should too Kura-kins, we've got school in the morning." she said giving her father a quick hug and kiss. She tugged at a lock of his hair when she walked by. "If you could have been any thing tonight what would you have been?" she asked. He shrugged.

"To keep with your theme, a tomb robber." She smiled.

"Then good night my tomb robber." she was gone before he could say any more.

"She's got you wipped boy. Don't fret to much about it though. She'll get her way one way or another and when she's done with you she'll set you off." her father shook his head. It was obvious he trusted Bakura. The thing that got Bakura was the man barely knew him. Or maybe he just knew his daughter could handle herself without his help. Either way it was too late to think about it and he did have school tommorrow.

Her hand fit in his just perfectly. Her green eyes were unmatched and his own muddy eyes held an intelligence he betrayed. Her heart beat only to see what tomorrow would bring, his beat to make sure the pharaoh paid for his deeds. The differences that lay between them were discarded. Neither one wanted to end up with their fathers again so both ran. Together or apart they would always run but togther they felt safer, even if it was more dangerous.

Her hand sought his out without a sound. He shook his head and ran his finger tips along her arm causing goose bumps to rise. She smiled and nodded. They never spoke unless they had to when in a tomb. She did it out of respect he did it out of fear. She stuffed a jewel incrested necklace in her sack. Norfret tugged at a lock of his hair when she went by.

"Be swift my king." she mouthed. Her lips were painted the same color as blood. They matched her finger nails perfectly. He slid a few more items of value in his sack before he decided it was time to leave. As always when they have completed a job and were about to flee he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close enough for her sweet smell to fill his lungs and her to read his lips.

"It is time we leave my Nile woman." He let his fingers trail up her back and entwine in her rich brown hair. She took his hand and led the way out of the inner chamber to the exisit. They slid out into the darkness of the night knowing somewhere beyond their sight Seth battled and soon the sun would rise again. They traveled untill the sun tinged the sky a light pink. "We will rest here, no one is following us I'm sure." he said gruffly. Norfret nodded and dropped delicately to the ground. She moved in such a way as to not cause any more pain in her leg. He knew it had pained her since it was engraved with the mark of a greater evil and would continue todo so until she passed on. "Want me to do anything?" he asked softer than before.

"No, I couldn't ask the King of Thieves to do anything more for me." When she spoke his title she did so as if it a the sweetest taste and she didn't want it to end.

"But he wants to do more for you." he said sitting down next to her. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder pulling her close to him. She rested her head on his shoulder and he let his check press against the top of her head.

"Then all I ask is that he doesn't leave me, ever."

"Then he won't leave your side unless he is cut away by the sword of Seth." he could feel her tense in his grip. She hated the thought of the gods coming. He knew she didn't like to steel. Until her flight from her father's home she had lived an honest life and would have settled to marry any man who asked as long as he cared for her and let her do things her own way. When HE had gotten a hold of her though something died inside and she was now willing todo what she had to to stay with her sole companion in life.

"Good. I think I will sleep now." and she did. She slid into a deep sleep and didn't notice when he let her go. She didn't realize he had gotten up and walked off. She didn't hear the fight. She didn't wake untill he lay in a bloody heap and two men took hold of her and started dragging her back to the city. Before she was to far though he lifted his head.

"I won't let you go my Lady of the Nile." he called barely above a whisper.


	16. Chapter 16

**Review Responses:** **Mattea:** the last part was a dream. It'll make more sense in a minute. **Marik:** The chicken hasn't finished yet. He's only just begun. **Keire: Happy Birthday! **I doubt we'll see Seto in this. He just don't fit.I mean I live in a small town like this one and it would be like seeing Bill Gates down at the Ice Cream Parlor. It just doesn't seem right, if this was like New York or LA I could see him being there. But maybe I'll write a sequel if you all like. I've thought about it and planned to just for my own amusement. I like theses characters which is a change for me normally I want to kill them all as quickly as possible save a few of my favorite borrowed charcters.

**A/N: **You lot keep using words like intresting and unique. It scares me. My lil bro and sis use the words so I don't pound them into a bloody pulp when they are commenting on anything I write. Not very long I know but untill after Fair I won't be doing much writing. I have to review my short story for my writing project, gather rabbit care products and clean cages and risers, and tattoo about a billion of my rabbit and... I can't wait till fair soo much fun.

**The Hunt**

Lilly sat up in bed. The bloody heap of her fallen companion still engraved in her head. She shook herself. It was just a dream. _It was probably just because of my costume and what Kura said._ She told herself. Her mind spun she knew her white haired companion in the real world too and couldn't place a reason for him to have slipped in to her dreams before she had ever met him. Gretchen seemed to have sensed her confusion because the dog moved from the foot of her bed up to lay her head in Lilly's lap. She sub-consiously scratched the dogs ears. Outside a faint line of pink was visible. Any moment now her alarm would go off. So she reached over and turned it off before it could screech. As she stared into the darkness someone knocked on her door.

"Yea?" she asked. The door opened slowly and a mass of white hair poked in the room.

"It's time to get up." Bakura said ruffly. She nodded.

"Couldn't sleep either?" she asked. He stepped in the room then. So she turned on the desk light.

"Not really, probably something we ate." she supressed a laugh.

"We had a few pieces of candy for dinner. Not enough to give us nightmares."

"Nightmare?"

"Yeah, a guy got beat to death. After we robbed this pyramid or something. I don't know. I'm sick of it though." she shoved the dog off her lap and went to her dresser. "How about you why couldn't you sleep?" She dug through her drawer while he sat on her bed playing with Gretz.

"Same thing. A dream." she was used to the short answers. Serena snorted and rolled over in her bed.

"I don't want to eat the parrot.." she muttered. Lilly caught Bakura's look out of the corner of her eye.

"She's strange. That's all there is to it." he nodded. Lilly found the shirt she was looking for and tossed in over her shoulder before going to her closet to find pants.

"What possesed you to go with that costume?" he asked. She shrugged though he couldn't see her anymore.

"Something you said, and a presistant dream. I really don't know though. Originally I was going to go with a Disney princess. They are soo much easier." He gave a humming sort of voice that proved he was thinking. So she let him be and changed in her closet. "Kura, why a tomb robber? What is so fasinating about them? Clever as they must have been it sounds quiet dangerous from what I've read on the traps that were set in those things." She heard him give a small chuckle.

"Exactly, it was a very dangerous thing to do if you weren't skilled. Which I.." she got a feeling that he might not have just been in a half sleeping mode when she had asked about Norfret. It was something that seemed to come up more often.

"I don't think I could be a theif for a living. To many morals have been drilled into my head. Anyway weren't the punishments for that really horrible? I read somewhere about body parts being removed for stealing. Stealing from thoses who have crossed over seems like there would be a serious punishment to that."

"There were. I'm positive you could have made it though. Back then your mother wouldn't have preached on about your God. It would have been dozens of them some of which did steal."

"Yeah well in mythology there is always someone getting something stolen from them. Lovers, magical items, spouses... nothing was safe." she said coming out.

"You don't count spouses as lovers?" he asked looking at her quizcally.

"No. Okay Zeus for example. He was married to his sister Hera, however he had a thing for taking the form of a bull and going to 'become a lover' to the prettiest maiden he could find. I've heard tell of one case where Zeus took the form of an eagle to be the lover of a young man." she shook her head and walked over to her sisters bed. "So lovers and spouses are different. Not always did the gods love their wives and lovers."

"You read to much." he commented. Lilly shook her sister's shoulder before chasing Bakura out of her room.

Bakura, Lilly, Matt, Mandy, and Justin were finishing up the morning chores while Ryou and Serena took care of the morning dishes. Serena dried the last of the bowls and put it away while Ryou brought both their bags in.

"Did you hear our sibblings this morning? Said a bird sprang out of a cage and attacked them last night." Serena said smirking.

"No, I didn't. Morning Mrs. Halse." Mrs. Halse had just walked in the kitchen and sat down at the table.

"Morning Ryou, sweetie. How are you two this fine morning."

"Pretty good Mamma. How are you?" Serena hugged her mother.

"I'm good. I've got a shift starting at 3 today so I won't get off untill 11. That means you kids are on your own for dinner. Oh and your father is going to go down to the German society for a meeting so he won't be home till late either. Will you two do me a favor?" she asked lowering her voice.

"We're the only ones in here Mamma." Serena reassured her mother.

"After everything you've done for Bakura and I we'd be honored to do you a favor." the woman shook her head.

"No no children. This is for just you two. Make sure Matt and Mandy go home by seven and that your sibblings don't bring that goat of theirs in. Ummm one more thing. Justin hasn't been doing his homework make sure it gets done to night. Can you to do that?" she asked pouring herself a mug a coffee.

"Yea, of course. But why us?" Serena asked.

"Because you have no attachment to the goat, and you'll be more convincing I was the youngest too. I know how much control you have over the others. You two are the babies. They'll do whatever just because you ask." she smiled and kissed both of them on the forehead before going out the back door.

"She's delousional. I don't think we have any influence on them but I know they'll kill us if we don't get our butts out there." Serena said leading him out the back door in time to see Mrs. Halse slam her car door.

"What was that about?" Ryou asked. Serena shrugged and jumped off the porch clearing, easily, the six steps. Ryou walked down them and followed the girl.

"Like I said she's a few nuggets short of a Happy Meal." They both ignored the squawk of the roaster as they passed him. It wasn't unusal for them to get lose like this one had and even less strange that this one felt it nessary to call attention to himself. They tossed their back packs in the back of Matt's car and started down the hill. Again the roaster squawked. Serena looked back, "Ry, not to worry you but RUN!" she said starting off down the hill. He didn't understand until something hit him in the middle of his back knocking him off balance and on to the ground. He must have shreiked because suddenly Lilly and company were there. Of course he didn't notice this because the chicken was repeatedly attacking him. He threw his arm over his eyes and tried to pretend dead.

"Sis?" Serena called out nervously. About that time he was pelted with rocks. From nearly every angle rocks smacked him and the bird. With a final crow that seemed to state he'd be back the bird took off.

"What the hell is going on here?" Chris asked giving Ryou a hand up. Both Ryou and Serena were at a loss for words.

"He attacked me when I got here this morning." Mandy said peeking out from behind Justin.

"Well we know his name then." Lilly said as if the most important thing to decided about the bird was it's name.

"What's that Lils?" Matt asked shouldering a shovel, he'd forgotten to drop.

"Son of Sam. I think Sammie will do for short though."

"Sammie? Lillian Ann, the thing has attacked two people and you give him a cute name?" Mandy demanded. Lilly shrugged.

"Amanda I'm not in the mood to deal with your theatrics. It's time to leave, Matt just prop that against the barn." Lilly said going to get in one of the vehicals.

As always the school day was uneventful. The longer the year drug on the more Bakura got used to not saying anything. The instructors didn't seem to understand that their students would never need to know the name of the eleventh president or the population of the Virgin Islands. Nor would the date a peace treaty was sign, or the cause of the death of any number of kings matter. These students would be doctors and lawyors, some would be teachers, others would be bums, but none would ever need to know 75 percent of what they were taught.

Bakura's mind however belonged to too many things for him to concentrate on any of the aforementioned. He didn't say anything the ride home, or all through that evenings chores. At this very moment he sat on the edge of a trench that had been dug so that the water from the pond had a way to get to creek. He was far beyond the reach of the roaster who had claimed three more victims, six hens, and a duck. But despite the rush of the water and mist in his mind, his thoughts kept returning to what had awoken him so early.

He had come to the conclusion that Lilly had to be Norfret. This was the easiest way to think of it. But what had brought them together again? From what he had remebered Norfret had been the daughter of a village woman and a noble man. Her mother had been killed when their villiage was burned and she had been taken to live with her father, who beat her in a drunken rage nearly nightly. While she had resided with her mother she had often times tended Bakura's own wounds never seeming to notice that it wasn't just the physical ones she tended. His father too abused him and the only thing he had ever cared for his father had killed one night. His baby sister had been killed because his father was a fool. Lilly on the other hand came from a complete household. Her mother was kind and loving and her father had never raised his hand to her. She had sibblings and farm hands and was doing well for all she'd been through. Maybe they'd done something then that had to be done again. He couldn't place it.

Bakura beat his fists into the ground, causing a chunk of mud to fall off the edge of the gash in the ground to meet the water. _It's not fair. I never asked for any of this. I didn't want to come back and surely didn't want to have a real body not now. What did I do to deserve this?_ He questioned letting himself fall back into the tall grasses that surrounded him.

"Hey Bakura." a shy voice called behind him. He grunted in response. "I was getting ready to leave, Matt's driving me home, it's time you come back to the house it's dark." he looked up to see Suteki standing over him. She smiled and offered him a hand which he ignored and stood up.

"You better run along." she shook her head.

"Chicken doesn't attack as often when you travel in groups. He prefers lone souls." she smiled.

"What's wrong with you?" he asked gruffly.

"Nothing, just thinking. I mean you and Ry are a lot alike in the looks department but as far as personalites go You are polar opposites." she talked a mile a minute.

"That's nice."

"I think it's cool. It amuses me that you can be raised in the same exact setting as someone and turn out completely different. Like Mandy and Matt. Of course that could be because ones a girl and the other's a boy. I don't know just intresting don't you think."

"No." he said as they rounded the pole barn and started up the drive way.

"What do you find intresting? Duel monsters?" she mocked.

"Shadow games."

"Here he comes." Suteki suddenly stepped behind him. But, like she had said the roaster was chargeing toward them. So instead of becoming just another victim of the feathered monster he stepped up to challenge the creature. Sammie however didnt' care and jumped his claws hitting Bakura in the knee. Suteki had retrieved a stick from somewhere and was using it like a swoard hacking at the bird. It slowly retreated. "I hate birds."

"I'll join that club." Bakura smirked. She sagged a little now, her burst of action making her arms weigh her down.

"Comm'on little lady." Matt beckoned from his car. Suteki quickly joined him and Bakura retreated to the house. Thoughts of dinner now filling his mind.


	17. Coming Together

**Review Responses:** **Mattea:** I know, fair is awesome. So much fun! There is seriously nothing like day when you are up with the sun after going to bed at 2AM have nothing to eat or drink besides about two litters of Mt.Dew and a hot dog, and no chance of sitting down for more than ten minutes at a time. Together Robby, Katie, and I have 60 rabbits going to fair this year. But I plan to sell most of them. Unfortunatly if I don't a good number of them will be sent on the meat truck. **Marik:** I hate spiders. They scare the hell out of me. I don't know why there is just something creepy about all the legs and eyes shivers unfortuantly they are everywhere here. There's a huge one in the basement. It's been in the same place for like a week and I'm starting to think it's going to live forever in the pink barbie house.

**A/N:** I really shouldn't be writing this but I can't get it out of my head. beats head on camper wall causing advisors to look in with questioning glares Nope still stuck in there.

**Chapter : Coming together**

Son of Sam's POV

I was hatched in a little box under a light. My first sight of life was thirty sets of stick human-chick hands reaching in and poking me. I lived through all of this though the hen called "teacher" covered up the deaths of my fellows. Soon I rebeled. I tried to organize a revolt but the other chicks were just intrested in playing with the humans. I was sent to a farm with this girl Angela. Angela lived with her grandfather on a farm. She took desent care of me. Then she went to some sort of human training camp called college. Grandfather put me in a plastic prison tossed me in the back of his metal monster and drove me around for a long time.

He had gotten tired of me attacking his hound. The fool of a creature wanted it though. He always started it. Calling me "Rudi Roster." What the hell sort of name is that? So I'd attack him prove my superiority. Well Grandfather didn't like that I scratched the hounds eyes out.

I was taken out of the truck and sat in the drive way of some other farm. I could smell the horses and other foul. There were about a thousand other smells I didn't know. Suddenly out of nowhere a metal monster smashed into my prison. A human-pullet and a human-cockeral got out of the monster and came to inspeact my prison. The pullet opened my prison, I could sense her curiosity. It was just as strong as that of the human-chicks. So, I had to prove I was a forced to be reckoned with and jumped out all wings and talons and beak.

Well, I took off into the dark and woke up this morning next to a duck. Now, ducks aren't that bad normally but when they are all up in your feathers and quacking about last night you get a little scared. I mean what had I done last night? I didn't remeber anything after the pullet and cockeral. I decided the duck would be of some use though. After all ducks know their enviroments rather well. Crooked Wings and I made our way about the farm. I quickly dominated most the human population and a good number of hens. Most of the cocks around here were still young and basically harmless.

Now, it is time to put my plans into action. Soon the chicken race will dominate the humans. See how they like their young being taken away and eaten before they even hatch. Soon we won't live in fear. When you hear the term 'acting chicken' it will mean strong and unafraid of anything.

"You ever seen anything like that?" Lilly asked Chris as she walked up.

"No, a chicken about as tall as my hand is wide does not claim a duck and what five hens? And they definatly do not wait for the duck to bring them frogs. What the heck is the world coming to?" Lilly grinned and picked three strands of grass and started braiding them.

"I'm not sure but it's kinda cute. That's Crooked Wings out there you know?" Chris stared closer at the duck who was frog hunting. He shook his head.

"What does your mom think? Is it a sin against nature?" Lilly shook her head.

"I'm not sure. She just says to keep him away from her."

"Well, I came out to say I was leaving for home okay?"

"Yeah, see you tomorrow Chrissy."

After Chris left Lilly watched the duck and chickens for a little longer. Finally she grew bored with the sight and headed toward the house. She knew inside her mother would be plastering on another layer of make-up and heading to work, her father would be sitting in the living room watching a ball game and drinking a Heinkein, upstairs Ryou and Serena would be perched infront of the computer talking to Suteki and Justin would be on the phone talking to Mandy. Somewhere amist all this normalcy would be Bakura. A slight smirk crossed her face at the thought of the dark eyed boy. She'd promised herself to never think this way of anyone ecspecaily a yuppy puppy. But if the chicken could get a long with a duck she could let it slide with a yuppy. After all he'd be leaving shortly after Independance Day.

"Hey Lil's you busy?" she looked up yanked from her thoughts. Of course without thought she knew who it was.

"Not really what's up Kura?"

"I wanted to ask you something come here." he said nodding down the hill. The main barn was perched on a slope. On either side was a hill on the side the driveway went down had loveingly been named the racing hill because when the kids were younger that's the hill they rode their bikes. On the opposite side of the barn the hill was steeper and was perfect to sled down aside from the large acorn tree at the bottom which you had to be sure to miss. At the memory of a long forgotten crash Lilly followed Bakura down the hill rubbing her left arm. He stopped her and pointed at a group of deer in the feild close to the tree line.

"What? It's the deer. I think they are up to tweenty now or right close." she said dismissivly.

"No, I know what the deer are. Every night at ten o'clock these fireworks go off." he paused for a moment. "Why?" she grinned.

"The highway is back that way and on the other side of it is this amusement park. I'll have to take you some time. It's really cool! They've got all sorts of roller coasters. You ever ride one?" she asked sitting down to watch the deer graze. As many times as she had seen this the deer never stopped amazing her. Neither did the sun which was setting perfectly behind them.

"No. What's it like?" she shrugged.

"It's hard to discribe. It's built to make you adrinaline rush. So your heart speeds up and you just want to scream because you can't get out."

"Sounds like a blast." he said sarcastically.

"Well it's no tomb raid but it's cool." she teased.

"Hey! You've crossed the line now." he said slugging her arm lightly.

"Really? What are you gonna do about it Mr. Tomb robber?" she asked pretending to be afraid. He knocked her over and moved himself over her holding down her arms.

"I don't know but you can't do anything to stop me now can you?" he asked playfully. Lilly threw all her weight to her right, and using the hill to her advantage managed to get herself on top. She let out a whoop of victory.

"Can't I?"

"Oh Now I'm shaking in my boots." Lilly started to tickle him making him kick and try to squirm free but she sat on his middle. "Not fair! Time out!" Lilly ignorned him poking his sides. Someone cleared their throat and they both froze and looked up. Standing over them was Mrs. Halse. Lilly about wet herself. She'd made her oppion of Bakura's and his brother's presence well known. She had on many occasions said she hated everything about the male race and now she was sitting ontop of one.

"Children having fun?" her mother asked a strict tone in her voice. Neither of them could find their words, not that they would have said them if they had known them. Mrs. Halse was the sort of person you didn't mess with. Definatly not one you hid something from, and this made it look as if they were hidding something major. "Well, I'm leaving. You two need to get inside soon." her eyes cast skyward. "It'll be getting dark in...oh thirty minutes." she turned and began to walk off. Before she rounded the corner of the barn though she turned back. "Lillian Ann get off that boy right now!" she called loudly enough to where anyone close to a door or window inside could hear her.

With a wink Mrs. Halse disappeared behind the barns corner. Lilly rolled off of Bakura and gave him a sorrowful look. His eyes were still tinged with amusment and his smirk teased her as much as it had before her mother's arrival. He sat himself up and brushed off some grass and invisable dirt.

"I think we were caught." he said his smirk widening into a full blown smile.

"Yea, you think?" she shook her head. "Sorry."

"What for?" his voice might of contained one one trillionth of concern or he could have been just a tad less cocky.

"Nothing, let's get inside before Dad pitches a fit and has a cow." They both crawled to their feet.

"I'd like to see that. A person have a cow. Bet it'd sell a lot of money. Maybe even make a movie."

Ryou had heard the shout outside but ignored it. Taking more intrest in the conversation in the chat room at that moment. A new guy had found their little role play and was trying to gather all the bits too it. Suteki and Serena were at this moment making fun of Seto Kiaba.

**Suteki:** April: Well I just adore the way you duel Mr. Kaiba sir.

**Serena:** Seto:No one likes a suck up April. tucks duel deck away with a smirk and starts to stride off

**Suteki:** April:Then we've got something in common:No one likes you either she called after the CEO while her fellows laughed

**Brian:I don't get it! Who the HELL is April and what connection does she have with this Seto Kiaba guy? WAIT is that the guy who owns that hologram company?**

**Serena:**(Start talking in () when not in character and yes dim witt. This is a DUEL MONSTERS RP CHAT so get with the program or click the little 'X' in the top right hand corner of the window.)

**Suteki:** (Serena that's not how you do it. flicks chestnut hair off shoulder look mr if you don't get it get out!) April joined the celebration of knocking a Kaiba down a peg

The characters were always saying something rude about the Kaiba's or their company. It was a little unnerving at first but nothing was ever serious. It was all made up. At that moment Brian signed out of the chat room and the converstation steered toward what a 'loser' he'd been. Ryou didn't find much intrest in this so he went down stairs to watch tv with Mr. Halse. On his way though he was stopped by an unbelieveable scene. His yami and Lilly were walking in the back door laughing and teasing eachother.

"Will you explain the chicken crossing the road jokes?" Lilly asked. "The only reason I've ever seen for a chicken to cross the damned road is to get some on the other side." Bakura laughed. Not one of his 'you think I'm so stupid but you're wrong' laughs but a real honest to God laugh.

"I don't know. I don't get them either. They've got no purpose except to be stupid." Ryou lost the conversation then because he didn't want to get caught eaves dropping.

The days of fall pasted quickly. Halloween had already come and gone and now they were counting down the days until Thanks Giving. Lilly could already taste the turkey as she printed off another 'What's the meaning of this holiday' report. She'd done them every year for eons and didn't see an end to them in the near future. So she wrote a quick summary of what it had meant to those who first celebrated it and then what it meant to her family and herself.

But with all the holiday stuff coming she couldn't help but feel a little bummed. Sure she was excited about the huge meal that was only days away and she was getting along better than ever with Bakura and Ryou. She'd even felt generous amongst the kids at school and hadn't called them any unmentionable names for looking down on her based on her lifestyle. But the deeper they got into fall the colder it got. The days were already far too short and getting shorter by the week. Soon it would be dark at six thirty-ish and her saddle would be left all but forgotten.

"Ease up Loki!" she called down to the coal black horse beneath her as she reigned him in a bit. She could have sworn she'd just seen a chicken run across the dry creek with a burlap sack in it's beak.

"What?" Bakura asked slowing Seth down at her side. She shook her head.

"Nothing." she clucked her tounge and kicked her heels making Loki lurch back into his break neck pace. She lowered herself closer to the horse providing as little resistance as possible. Matt, Chris, Serena, Ryou, Bakura, and herself were riding out to her grandfather's cabin. They had to get wine out of the cellar for a party her parents would be attending in the days to come and they had their own personal reasons.

A few days before Matt had asked if they'd be spending their weekend in the woods again this summer. Every year on the annivesary of her grandfather's death they speant a weekend in the cabin. There was a small pond infront of it with a deck that was perfect for swimming and fishing. A cellar full of wine, not that they'd ever touch the stuff, and the most beautiful seanary. More than once deer had crossed their front lawn as they sat in the porch swing. So it was time to introduce Ryou and Bakura to the idea. They didn't want to cut them out of any of this.

"It's close now!" she yelled over her shoulder. She heard nothing but the pounding of hooves behind her. For a moment she was gripped with fear and had to look back. They were all aways behind her and just couldn't hear. With a slight tug of the reigns Loki began to slow knowing what she was about to do. The horse expertly guided her to the small fenced in area with a lean-to in it. Lilly stood up in her stirups kicking own leg over the horses back and carefully balancing herself she unlocked the gate as the horse nearly crashed into it. Loki circled once before slowing to a walk at which point she let herself drop to the ground and walk next to the horse. The others crowded into the pen too. Each one dismounted with less grace and pazaz as she had used.

"Welcome friends and family to the cabin!" Serena said standing on the railing that surrounded the porch. She took a bow and did a summersault off landing on her feet. "See Sissy? You're not the only one who can show off!" The boys all laughed. It wasn't the best masked insult but it had the desired effect so Serena bowed and led them back up to the front door. Matt pulled up the lose floor board and pulled out a small box. With in it were the keys to the cellar, the house, and the shed which held the fishing gear and pool toys.

"And without further delay," he kicked open the door and let the musty smell greet them. "Granddaddy's pride and joy, that wasn't living." Lilly stuck her tounge out at him when he winked. She had always enjoyed Matt's presence despite the fact that he was the biggest pain in the ass the world had ever known.

"Well come on!" she said pushing her way into the old cabin.

She was flooded with old memories and had to look to Serena more than once to see if she too might remeber helping nail this picture or nights spent on the floor in sleeping bags while Grandpa told them stories from his youth. Serena's expression didn't change. She entered with the same 'this is nothing amazing' look she always wore. With a deep sigh she instructed the others to show their newest companions around while she went to fetch the oldest bottle of wine.The cellar was like any other cellar dark and damp and icky. So she made her trip as quick as possible, pausing only to run her fingers over a bottle of wine with her name on it. She'd done everything the year this bottle was made with her grandfather and he had put her name on it and the two had swore it wouldn't be open until her wedding day. _It's odd how such a stupid thing could stop someone in their tracks_, she thought letting her eyes flit over the bottles looking for a date in the earlier to mid 1900's.

She returned to the cabin with a bottle from 1887 which had been brewed by her great great grandmother. The cabin was too quiet for her likeing. Ryou and Bakura bickered constantly, even if it was only onesidded, and Serena was sure to be standing up for her friend. But not a sound met her as she entered the house. Cautiously she side stepped a spider's web. _That thing must me large enough to eat a cat._ She made it to the only bedroom in nothing there. Her heart beat quickened as she scanned the room.

Something suddenly had her around the waist and she felt cold melt against her neck. _Shit! Someone's been living back here he killed the others and I'm done for._ She panicked brought her fist back and hit the guy hard in the balls. A familiar voice groaned in pain and she turned around to see Bakura lying on the floor clutching a butter knife. Then Matt laughed from behind her. Soon the other three were laughing too.

"Go to hell!" Bakura squeaked from the ground.

"That was priceless! Honestly! Her look then..." Matt gasped and started laughing again.

"I agree with Bakura! What did you do that for?"

"Because Sis! It was rich!" Chris answered. Sighing at the childishness of her companions she helped Bakura to his feet.

"I can't ride like this. Leave me here. I'll find way home." He said through clenched teeth as he waddled out into the main room.

"Come on Bakura! What happened to be a man, and tough, and all that?" Ryou asked.

"That was all in my balls which aren't currently home!" Bakura growled at his younger brother. _Oh God boys are fragile fiends!_

Riding home was a trip. Bakura kept moaning and groaning the whole time and they had to go really slow. Something Seth decided wasn't going to work and broke into a canter before they left the woods. Lilly gave the wine over to her mother and Chris and Matt returned home after another run through of the barns. Ryou took off with Serena to parts unknown leaving Bakura once again with Lilly and her mutt.

"I'm sorry." Lilly said for the millionth time as they sat out in the only mowed streach of the field.

"No problem. Just don't do it again." she smiled.

"Promise."

"Why were you so scared? Really think something could happen like that? I mean in this little town?"

"I'll take you were no one can hear you scream. I'll make you scream until your throat is raw and you cough blood." she said shyly.

"You will? You and what army?" he asked confused.

"No, it's this dream I had when I was like eleven."

"A dream scares you?" he laughed.

"No, not just he dream. It's more like when I felt the cold of that knife, even though it was a butterknife, it felt familiar like the dream was real. And I know no one would have heard me scream back there."

"Sure someone would have. Your sister, and cousin, Matt, Ryou, and me, do you really think we'd let anyone hurt you?" _Damn it! Why the hell did I say that? I'll hurt her. Someone should. Or has someone and that's why she reacted the way she did? Is she really Norfret? Damn it I want the ring! It was quiet in there._

"I thought someone was out there had killed you while I was in the cellar and was gonna do me in."

"Unlikely. It would take a lot to put off the five of us. You would have heard something."_ Why am I trying to comfort her? She's not Norfret. Norfret died in that tomb! She was slow with the lame leg and the gaurds got her! This girl is just another brat who doesn't know her place!_

"Probably. But the brain don't process all the info. I mean if it did I would have known the blade was to dull to hurt me serioiusly from that angle." she grinned glancing at him. "You know what I should do?"

"Shut up?"

"What? No! I should show you and Ry how to shoot a bow. I think I'll do that before it snows. You ever shoot one before? Or maybe the rifle. Now that's not something that takes skill but it's fun. Bows take talent."

"You are strange."

"I know. Now let's get inside before we freeze." she said standing up and offering him a hand. He promptly ignored it not wanting to take anymore favors from the girl, and the two walked back to the house careful to dodge the chicken coop.


	18. Modern Ideas and Old Ideals

**Review Responses: Marik:** Ha ha. I think Barbie should have left Ken for G I Joe. What ever made you think I could possible live on a farm? sarcastically We don't have a cattle prodder thingie, apperantly Mom was afraid we'd shock eachother, I went to TSC and they don't have them with the power packs on them anymore. But I did get shocked by the quiet a few times playing with them growing up. It hurts pretty good. It's a small electical shock. If you get shocked repeatedly you get a head ache but beyond that it stings. My brother said it leaves a burn mark sometimes if the voltage is high enough. I love Seto! He's my hero! No not really but I think he's cool.

**A/N:** OH forgot to drop this in on the last one not that anyone cares. I got third place with the story I entered in the County Fair. giggles like a three year old on a sugar high

**Modern Ideas and Old Ideals**

Lilly woke up to the smell of turkey. She licked her lips at the thought of bird that had been cooked over night. Her mother had gotten up several times to bast it, even. Soon it would be joined by potatoes, corn, stuffing, pumpkin pie, and several other large hot dishes. So she rolled over to check the time, with a sigh she pushed back the covers letting the fridged air meet her. Seven in the morning on Thanks Giving. About the time she sat up something knocked her over.

"TURKEY!" cried the body that had smacked into her.

"Yes, yes, turkey. Not geroff me." she shoved Serena off the bed where she landed in a undignified heap.

"Turkey, Father Lou, the little ones, and PIE!" Serena giggled and rolled around on the ground.

"That's it no more sugar for you missy." Lilly said standing up and streaching.

"PIE PIE PIE! Big pie little pie, what begins with pie? No won't work. One pie two pies peach pie, cherry pie." Lilly shook her head. She quickly dressed for the barn pulling on her jeans over the long underwear she wore for pjs. In the hall way she met Bakura who seemed to be having a similar pie problem.

"Serena says there will be pie. Lot's of pie. She says there will be pies for everycolor of the rainbow. What do you suppose will be in the blue pie? Blue berries?" Ryou asked following his brother. Both of the boys were dressed for the barn.

"Ryou one for word about pies I'll pull your longjohns so far up that you'll be able to see them when you open your mouth." Bakura groaned.

" Bakura, what do you think makes a"

"Is the next word in that sentance pie?" Bakura asked.

"Yes."

"Then don't ask it." he hurried to catch up to Lilly who was waiting at the bottom of the steps.

"You kids run warm water to the livestock, make sure everyone has hay, and get back in here. I'm gonna need help. You know how to slice and dice don't you, dear?" Mrs. Halse asked them.

"Not really."

"I'll teach you." she sighed. Bakura and Lilly quickly pulled on their coats and headed out. It was cold, maybe upper thirites. Not quiet cold enough for snow but that didn't stop it from falling. They pulled their coats tighter around them as they treked throught the slushy snow and mud to the barns.

"How long had Ryou been up?"

"Long enough for your sister to slip him some pixie stix and MT. Dew. I've spent the last half hour hearing about pixie stix and mt.dew eat a bunch and then you'll poo. Then somehow he got off onto pie." Lilly laughed.

"I was pounced. You know like a cat does what it's hunting. She just jumped on me." Bakura laughed at her.

"Come on we best hurry up." he said bending his head down to his chest.

Nearly a hour later half frozen they stumbled in the back door followed by Chris and his parents. Mrs. Halse quickly set them to work slicing this and dicing that, stirring that and then mixing this. It wasn't until noon that she realsed them to wash up and dress for company. The pair did this and hid upstairs with the rest of the houses teens.

"I swear if I have to spend five seconds more in that kitchen I'll scream." Justin said flopping down on Lilly's bed. The girls room was considered nuteral ground and everyone seemed to gather here.

"You? I was told to bake a pumpkin pie using Grandma's recipe. Do you have any idea how hard it is to read the writing of a eighty year old woman with parkininces?" Lilly asked.

"No, I have no idea. I invented my own stuffing recipe. Grandma said to add socks. I swear that's what it said." he said begingin to toss a ball in the air and catch it repeatedly.

"What's the meaning of this holiday anyway?" Ryou askedsitting in the computer chair and spinning in circles.

"To be together with good friends, great food, and family. The three big F's." Serena answered laying on her own bed.

"That's not it. It's to thank the indians for the food." Lilly interjected.

"God was being thanked too." Justin reminded them.

"Oh like he needs thanks. You keep thanking someone and they're head will swell up and they'll think they can do anything." Lilly said.

"DUH! God can do anything."Serena said as if this was common knowledge.

"Why do you only have one god? The Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, Indians, Native Americans, Aztecs, all of them had mulitiple gods. So why make a religon with just one guy who can do everything?" Bakura asked. This had always amused him. While he put no paticular belife in any god or goddess, he was always amazed that a family like the Halses could exist.

"I don't know stupidty." Lilly mummbled. "Or ingenious."

"Because God is real. He sent his son to die for our sins." Serena said.

"Well if he's so almighty why didn't he just forgive us? Why send his son? Sounds like a spell had to be undone." Bakuara said enjoying the feud that was brewing.

"SPELL? God didn't preform magic."

"Miricales or magic? What's the difference?" he asked.

Everyone in the room stopped to think about this but before an answer was formed the door bell rang. Lilly sprung up from her spot on the floor to look out the window. She turned to annouce the arival of their final guests. The six teens ran down the stairs and threw the kitchen to lounge in the living room like they had been there all day. It was in this rush that no one noticed that Lilly had stayed in her room. She didn't like mystery. Despite what she might say. She liked things to be black and white. She wanted to beable to understand everything from the most complicated problem to kindergarden subjects. But never before had she thought about the difference between magic and miricales. So she lifted up the corner of her matterass and pulled out her Webster's. She was disappointed to find both are unexplainable occurances. Not finding an answer she went down stairs where the table was set and Luke was sitting content as ever one Bakura's lap watching some old VHS of Barney. Though Bakura seemed annoyed with the movie he wore a smile and indulged the child's fancy.

"Wiwwy!" the two little girls cried fleeing from Serena's and Ryou's laps to wrap their arms around her legs.

"Hey squirts!"

"Kids! Time to eat!" Chris' mother called.

They all went in to the dinning room Serena, Lilly, and Bakura carrying cargo. It took sometime to get everyone seated and food distrubited and then they said a quick prayer and dug in. Soon after the children were sleeping upstair tucked into Serena's bed.

"So what have you kids been up to?" Lou asked while commercials were on.

"Nothing much Father. Umm, Sir?"

"Yes Serena?" the priest asked sparring Serena the same look he gave his nieces.

"We were talking earlier what's the difference between a miricale and magic?" she asked. Mrs. Halse looked shocked and a little outraged.

"There is no difference." he answered simply.

"But sir. Magic is something done by a witch or wizard or something along that line."

"Is it not a miricale when two people fall inlove?" Serena nodded. "But we call it magic. A miricale is something science can't explain. So when a wizard like your Harry Potter or Merlin or Gandalf preforms a spell and does something impossible for the normal people like us it's unexplainable by science so isn't that magic by definitaion a miricale?" Father Lou asked.

"But surely Father you're not saying Jesus was a common mage." Mrs. Halse asked.

"No, I'm not. Jesus was real was he not? Is Harry Potter real or Merlin or Gandalf? No, that's all fiction. We except the Bible as fact. Not fiction like the wizards I just mentioned." he answered.

"Lou, why do we only have one god who can do everything while most peoples in anicient world had several gods or godess who each had a different properties?" Lilly asked.

"Lil, when I came here Father Arthur told me that I only had one thing to fear from the people on my church. Do you know what that was?"

"No Lou."

"He said I had to fear the questions my people would ask. A shepard must protect his sheep but he also must let them wander where they will. When they are in trouble he must protect them. Father Arthur told me about a paticular little girl who had once asked him what God sat on when creating the world, and who God's parents were. I can no better answer you question than I can your other questions. All I can do is assist you when you are in trouble and be here to watch over you when you're not." Lilly sighed.

Attenion was turned back to the game and the conversation was lost. She now wondered why the celebrated anything at all if three simple questions couldn't be answered. That night her mother cornered her and told her she just had to believe in somethings. If she put half the belife in God as she did in the fact that one day she'd get out of this little town she'd be perfectly fine. Lilly wasn't doubting anything.

"What do you think?"

"I think you're insane." Matt answered. Bakura rolled his eyes.

"Why worry about it now? Life is to short to waste worshipping some unseen power."

"Too short? What the Hell? It's the longest damn thing anyone can do. What can you do that's longer than life?" Matt asked Bakura who shrugged.

"Be dead?" he asked more than stated.

"Why are boys attention spans so freaking short?" Lilly asked. She managed to squeeze between a couple of lost football players and catch up with her companions.

"We have more important things to worry about than women." Bakaura said.

"Really? Like what?"

"Bringing home the bacon. To use one of your American terms."

"Dearest, you can bring home all the damned bacon you want to with out us men would have starved to death butt nake in some feild a few thousand years ago."

"Really?" Matt asked. "How do you get that?"

"Men are lazy. They need a woman constantly telling them what to do and how to do it. Even then they screw it up half the time. You couldn't cook or wash your clothes. I bet it was a woman who discovered how to use fire to the advantage of man kind."

"Well if women are so important why isn't it woman kind?"

"Egos. Men need a large ego to function properly. It's just as imporant as food or shelter. Now if you dweebs don't mind I have a class." Lilly left the two to think alone. Still trying to figure out her own problem. But winter break was comming and soon she'd beable to figure it out. Maybe Kiaba had some word on the topic she'd have to check his site when she got home.

**A/N**: I just finished writing this chapter and looking back over it I kinda wonder how many of you I've offended. I want to point out that the Halses are a very religous family. They go to church every Sunday and do everything they can for their fellow man. Lilly idolizes Seto Kiaba who doesn't exactly say a prayer ever unless it's a quick mumbled something to a 'divine' power to keep Yugi from kicking his ass again.


	19. Announcements

**A/N:** This is a revised chapter. Originally it was known as honor defendant. At the bottom is bit about the revises and why I made them. I hope you enjoy. I'll have a new chapter up soon! I'm going to bold the first few words where the changes start so you don't have to re-read what you've already read. Thanks for your patience with me guys! It means the world.

**Announcemnts**

Friday morning they hauled warm water to the stock, milked, collected eggs, and delivered hay. School was interesting as any school day. The teachers repeated more of the same old thing and the rumors had changed only slightly since last week. So at the end of the day when announcements were made he was shocked.

"As school morale is down we've decided to have some fun. Next week is the last week of school before winter break, after all. So now, girls, if you would." the princepal finished up.

"Hey" giggled the voice of one of the students. "It's me, Chole, and"

"Me, Tina." another voice giggled through the speaker mounted over the door of his home room class. Mr. Lutmer rolled his eyes and went back to grading papers.

"This week we are going to have a few costume days." Lilly moaned behind him. "Monday will be wear your PJ's to school day, then hippie." The first girl said more calmly.

"Wednesday will be western, and Thursday will be dressing as the proffesion you'd like to go into. The last two periods Friday will be a school dance and everyone who in not tardy or absent all week will be invited to come. So for that day we suggest wearing something nice." the second girl finished. The line went dead and the bell rang. The students filed out as quickly as possible discussing this new developement.

"Miss, Halse!" Ryou and Lilly both stopped to look back at Mr. Lutmer

"Yes, sir?" Lilly asked turning around.

"You have only two more years to be a child. I've asked your aunt to tell your mother of next weeks happenings. You will dress up at least a few days or you'll be forced to go to that dance." the teacher stated making it clear that there was no aruging. Lilly however made no show of disappointment, or any emotion. She simply went into default mode.

"So, what do you think the teachers will do with the clothes these fools will be wearing?" Lilly asked sneaking up behind him as he walked out of the class. Ryou shrugged.

"It sounds like fun to me. Aren't you going to do it?"

"The western one I'll do but the others I won't even try." she grabbed onto his shirt tail so she wouldn't lose him as they fought the current of kids trying to get to their buses and cars.

"What about Friday?" he asked.

"What about it?"

"Will you go to the dance?"

"Not if I can help it. I don't do public events."

"My dear Lilly. You've so much to learn." Ted said as he joined them outside the doors and to wait on the rest of his group.

"Like what?"

"Like, dances can be fun." he suggested. Ryou watched Lilly's face pale. "Besides, this isn't a public event, this is just a school thing." he smirked and took off to join a tall blonde who waved.

Lilly grumbled something under her breath as they joined the others. The ride home she said nothing at all. Which wasn't ever a good sign. When they got home, they dumped their bags off on the kitchen table changed into barn clothes and headed out. As soon as the animals were tended that evening and Ryou was watching The Simpsons with Bakura and Serena, Lilly appeared at the door. She tossed them their jackets and nodded to the front door before going out it herself. Being left with little choice the trio pulled on their coats and stepped out into the freezing night air. They reached the end of the porch in time to see the bright orange of Lilly's barn coat slid in to the minivan. They quickened their pace and joined her.

"What are we doing?" Serena asked as her sister turned the key starting the engine. Lilly turned around in the drivers seat to grin, then backed out of the drive.

"To start with I am craving a good leather fix," Ryou saw his counter part's couriosity peaked, "secondly, I need to buy a replacement cord for one of the water heaters we put in the troughs. So, we are going to go to TSC."

"What's TSC?" he asked seeing no one else was going to.

"Tractor Supply Company, they sell farming equitment, and some really good leather products." Lilly answered.

"What's with the leather?" Bakura asked. He'd gotten the front passanger seat, no doubt so he'd be closer to the heat.

"You heard the western theme right?" everyone in the car gave some acknowledgement to this question, "If you want to look western you need leather. Preferably chaps but I've got some that will fit Ry, and Serena if she wants them, even have an old pair that Dad used to show in when he was a boy that will fit you. I on the other hand am leatherless. Such a sad thing."

"Sis, you are a strange one." Serena commented. Laughing Lilly cranked up the radio and no one spoke until they reached the large white and red building. There weren't many cars in the parking lot and the ones that were there were large SUV's and trucks with hauling capacity. A huge chain link fence barred them off from all the fencing materials and thick chains held down the tractor attachments that adorned the sidewalk in front of the building. Lilly just walked straight up and through the automatic doors as if she was about to face her worst fear.

Bakura was amused with the idea of Lilly in leather. He couldn't place the reason but there is something about the smell of leather that awakens something in every person. Every few minutes she would emerge a different pair of buttless chaps on making her Wranglers hugging her body just right. When Serena and Ryou finally joined them after having gotten the cord and wondered through looking at T-shirts with John Deere related sayings on them, Lilly was on her seventh pair of chaps.

"I don't get it."

"Save a cowboy ride a Deere, its a spin off of the song Save a Horse Ride a Cowboy. I'll play if for you later." Serena said slidding down on the cold concrete floor. Bakura took in a deep breath of the thick air. Leather, feed, and sawdust left that perfect scent he had gotten so used to while in the states.

"What about 'Proud Redneck Woman'?"

"Another song. Redneck Woman is a song that pretty much says its not only okay to be a redneck but something to be proud of. Which is another song." Serena sighed. "Lillian, how they fit?"

"I think I like the ones with the red roses imprinted on the black leather. They match my hat better." came the girls voice. Lilly emerged wearing the first pair she had tried on turned around for her sister to servey her.

**"Do you kids need any help**?" a dark haired sales woman asked from behind a rack of show wear shirts.

"No ma'am." Lilly said answered.

"We'll be closing in half hour you want to hurry up, then dears." the woman said walking away.

After this Lilly changed back into her own clothes and with chaps slung over her arm inspected the cord their young 'siblings' had chosen. Decieding it would do she checked out. The price for the chaps was a lot higher than Bakura thought a piece of leather could cost. But Lilly paid and led them out to the car with out a word. Though he suspected her parents were never told how much they cost.

Early Saturday afternoon when all the stock had been tended and lunch was still in the 'I don't know what to make' stage Lilly sought Bakura out. Since putting Lady El in the barn it wasn't odd to find him in her small stall playing with her. Long before she said anything he knew Lilly was watching him over the stall door.

"It seems your mommy's trying to be sly today." he said to the small goat giving it a light shove when she pushed her head into his palm.

"Don wants to meet you." Lilly said taking sudden interest in the wall when he looked up at her.

"Why?" she shrugged still not looking him full on.

"I don't know. He's got a jealously thing to start with, but he says you sound like a good boy and wants to meet whom ever it is I'm spending so much time with." crawling to his feet and holding the goat back as he exited the stall he found his hand reach on its own accord for her should spinning her around to look at him. More and more often she'd acted strange around him and found himself soften in her presence so much so that this touching wasn't unusual.

"Do you not want me to go?" he asked.

"No. Yes. It would just mean a lot to Don. I'm leaving in ten minutes if your coming." She shrugged him off then and left the barn Bakura tossed the goat one more look before following.

Like his last visit they were greeted shortly after entering by Gracie. Lilly had explained to him since there last visit that she was the director of nursing and as the DoN she was her mother's boss. So they were overly nice to the woman, at least for Bakura and Lilly. On the opposite side of the building that Elaine had once lived Lilly entered the room of an old man. The room looked like a hunting lodge had exploded in it. On the TV a middle aged man talked to the camera about the exact science of sneaking up on a deer. Lilly snuck up, in much the same way, on the man in wheel chair and wrapped her arms around him.

"Hey you." the old man said taking hold of his wheels and turning to look at Lilly. "Oh finally I get to meet your boyfriend." Bakura's jaw dropped.

"He's not my boyfriend Don. I told you that." the old man waved off Lilly's protest.

"All I ever hear out of your mouth is praise for this kid. I say, where's the rest of him? He's awful slim built to do as much as you say he does." Lilly looked at Bakura an amused look on her face.

"I don't know. This is all they sent me."

"Right, then in my top drawer is some money go down to the vending machine and get me a three man bar and I'll talk to this boy of yours." Lilly complied with out hesitation and seconds later he stood alone in the room with elderly man. "Well don't just stand in the door with your mouth working like a fish out of water! Come in sit." Bakura moved deeper into the room and sat in a lazy boy that the man had gestured to. "So, your not her boyfriend then?"

"No, of course not. Lilly's the most stubborn thing I've ever met." Bakura said trying to sound disgusted with the idea.

"Well, I must say I'm disappointed. Having you has done that girl a lot of good. She didn't have a life before you got here. Always hanging around in my room talking on for hours about her animals. Not good for a girl her age." Brow cocked Bakura asked:

"What gave you that idea?"

"Oh a lot of things. The way she talks about you for one. I have six daughters they're all grown and gone now but I know what I'm talking about. So, what are you going to do with your life after school?" he asked

"I don't know. Never really thought much about it." Don snorted.

"Poppy cock! You should know by now! What interest you boy?" Bakura looked at the list in his mind it was short: the millenium items and showing up the pharroh.

"I might be a archyologist like my father." Don nodded and looked around his room.

"When I was your age do you know what I wanted?" Bakura shook his head of course he didn't but he knew he wanted Lilly in the room now! "I wanted to provide for my family. I owned a nice chunk of farm land, or at least would I was the oldest and only son when I married my wife would take care of my parents and our children and I would take care of the land. That's how it goes in family's like Lilly's and mine. So when I was your age I had already found my woman and we were killing time until we were old enough to wed. You find yourself a girl yet?"

"No, sir. I don't plan on it either." Don let out a laugh.

"You kids are all the same. Lilly says she's going to be a shrink and support herself one day. No man needed. HA! She's a strong girl but every woman needs a man to hold her own in this world of ours."

"Now just wait a minute! Lilly takes good care of the farm by herself. Her parents to lift a finger to help. She might have help but she don't really need it! And she's smart enough and damn it Lilly isn't some broad from your era old man!"

"That's big of you to say, boy!" he barked. "But it don't change the world. What are you feeble minded? Can't you see the way this old world works? Women are like… They're like a good huntin' dog. You see their job at home is to be quiet and guard you and your possessions, you let them sleep at the foot of the bed or eat your scrapes but only to make them feel like more than a tool. But that don't change the fact that they're nothing more than a necessity to a man's well being."

"DON!" Lilly said she'd been standing out side the door listening. "That is…" she stopped Bakura saw lightening flash in her eyes she threw the silver wrapped candy bar at the man grabbed Bakura's hand and drug him out of the room. It took them under a minute to navigate the nursing home and get in the truck. She sat in the driver's seat on the verge of tears. "I'm sorry." she finally said when she'd gotten herself under control. She started up the truck and pulled out of the parking lot. "Had I known he'd act like that, I never would have brought you here honey."

**A/N: I've debated on taking the last chapter out. But, I'm going to fill you in a piece of Lilly's past. It's been mentioned a few times that Lilly was different before Serena's accident. Which is normal for any person to change after something like that. But there was more to that short period of time before her change than I've mentioned. She used to show horses with a passion unlike any other she's shown thus far. She wasn't just 'good' as Serena put it she was in the top three in her age group. The riders she competed against frequently, became close friends and there parents soon decided to get them the same trainer and sign them on as a team. The trainer was a bit of a nut case despite being the best their dollar could buy. She started giving the kids achalol to calm their nerves before big shows. It didn't take long for one beer between the group to become a six pack then harder liquors, some of the kids even went to drugs. When the parents found out (one of the kids was thrown and due to her intoxication her body reacted in a way that killed her), they destroyed the team. Jason and Lilly hated the idea of parting ways and stayed in touch. Once they stole a car and crashed it into a telephone pole. The Halses refused to let their daughter near Jason again and not long after that her grandfather died then she got Chip and in a rush to prove herself again she misjudged his tameness ending in him freaking when a squirrel ran across his path he threw Serena and she was in a coma for a while, her head having been cracked open. After all of this Lilly became the Lilly we know in this story. SOOOO with that out of the way now I can move on. Jason may or may not make another apperance but in any case it will be just as short and strange. THANKS for your reviews and patience. **


	20. MotherDaughterTalk

-1

**A/N:** Okay I know I screwed up chapter 19 and hopefully the corrections work. I apologize for that but this whole story has been an experiment for me. I also apologize for some of what is mentioned in this chapter. PLZ understand that I'm used to writing a lot of drama with some romance and both are fundamental in a story with teens. So with out further ado here you go. covers head please don't stone me. I know it's short but then next one will be longer I swear.

**Review Response:**

**Kiere**: I swear I didn't mean to confuse you. I don't know if I can make you understand but I'll give it a shot. I'm an idiotic mortal girl who REALLY needs to read something more humorous and less life, love, death, and DRAMA, and unfortunately that slipped into the last chapter.

**Marik:** I figured it was you, I didn't know the name so I went to look at the bio like I do with all of my reviews to see what sort of thing the person is into and I saw a reference to you and suspected as much. I'm glad to find I can respond to the reviews. But all the same guys if you ever want to e-mail me you can…(I've not had mail in days I'm dying).

**Mother-Daughter-Talk**

Lilly leaned forward over the table looking at the puzzle pieces her mom had laid out. She'd nearly put together the outside but there were a lot of sky pieces that Lilly was working on herself. As long as she could remember the two had had an unexplainable connection of sorts. Her mom knew when something was wrong and had obviously been tipped off, maybe it was because she'd yelled at Gracie when she'd called to see what happened with Don, or the fact that after the call stalked out to the pond and just screamed until exhaustion found her. Lilly couldn't put a finger on the reason it upset her so much to see Bakura and Don not getting along. Why she'd been filled with a strange giddiness when Bakura had stood up for her and a disappointment and rage when Don had likened women to dogs.

"You going to tell me what's wrong?" her mother asked snapping a long strand of pieces, that made the left side, into place.

"Don said some things. I don't know Mamma. It's weird." she started to tell her mom about all the things that had run through her mind the past few weeks since Halloween. Or it might have started before that, maybe the night Lady El was born or when Elaine died. She wasn't sure but she knew it wasn't yet the time to say anything about the foreign exchange boy.

"You and Don will patch it up. You two always do." she gave her daughter a reassuring smile.

"I don't know if I want to." Lilly said clicking a another piece of cloud into her chunk on twenty some tiny jigsaw pieces.

"Oh, It's something big. Hold the thought I'll be right back." her mother stood and passed through the empty doorway into the kitchen. She returned a few minutes later with two mugs of hot coco, a large Hershey bar and a jar of peanut butter. Lilly smiled at this. When she'd been very small it was what her mother had used to calm her down when she was upset. Countless times this was the feast she'd have after a bought with the monsters the dwelled in her room. "Now Cowgirl, tell me what happened." her mother said sitting down.

"Don's been asking to meet Bakura, and I've put it off and put it off. I don't know why it just seemed…. You know all those movies where the girl brings her boyfriend home to meet the parents?" her mother nodded breaking off a square of chocolate and dragging it though the peanut butter. " It was like that. I mean, I don't think there is anything there with Bakura and I. It'd just be silly. He's only here until July and I'm far to sensible to break my heart like that, but not dedicated to anything without four legs to make a long distant relationship work. But I bring 'Kura in and Don starts right away with questioning him. But he didn't want me to be there so he sent be after a stupid candy bar. When I got back the two were arguing over the woman's level in today's society."

"Where was Bakura's stand?" her mother interrupted. This had always been an important thing with her mother. She'd been in a relationship when she'd met Mr. Halse where the guy was beating her. Since then she'd drilled into her children's heads that this was terribly wrong and Lilly knew her mother would go straight to Bakura and give him a lashing he'd never dreamt possible if she'd said he belittled women kind.

"It wasn't as much women in general as me. But he stood up for me, or us or whatever."

"Good. What did you do?"

"I threw the musketeers at him and took Bakura by the hand and led him out." she smirked. Lilly took a sip of her coco and broke off a chunk of chocolate. For a long moment neither of them spoke. "Mamma, 'Kura and I… We don't, you know, do we?" Mrs. Halse smiled sweetly and tossed her head from side to side. She took a large swallow from her mug before answering her daughter.

"If things hadn't changed with you after Alex…..became Serena, I think you would have done a lot more with that boy than some harmless second graders version of flirting. Lilly, honey I'm so very proud of you. You dropped you whole lifestyle cold turkey and became so absolute angel when your sister had her accident. But I think you are reigning yourself too tight. That is what made you such a great competitor, it's what makes you such a great farm manager, but sweetheart your only 16." Lilly sucked at her bottom lip for a moment and tried to find some answer to her question in her mom's response. "Do I see a potential romantic relationship when I look at you and Bakura? No. You too," she paused. " It's like Son of Sam and Crooked Wings. You two look after each other and on some level will always see the other as part of your flock and may even have a soft spot for those like the other in the future. But when if come right down too it You can't swim, or fly. You are far to grounded to do so. Just like Sam, you whole life is wrapped up too tight in some future plan for right now to matter. Bakura is sort of Crooked. He's just here passing time enjoy what we've got to offer but when fall comes he'll migrate somewhere else and may never look back."

"I like him." Lilly said admitting for the first time even to herself that there was something about the boy that intrigued her.

"I know. I remember the last boy you said that about." her mother had a empty look on her face. Lilly on the other hand scowled.

"Don't remind me of him! He was….. He was bad for me."

"I saw Jason the other day." her mother said. Lilly looked up sharp. She wanted to ask how he was, where he was, if he'd dropped his old ways, there was so much she wanted to know but she held it all back. "I know you're too grown up to allow yourself the pleasure of asking about him. So not that it matters he was sober, his folks spilt and his dad has custody of his baby sister, his mom has terminal cancer and they are living with her parents." Lilly lowered her gaze to stare at the half a cloud that sat in front of her.

"I wish things were different." she mumbled.

"Now, don't go saying that! I don't regret a moment of your or my life. Even when I sweet talked that trainer into taking on you kids. If we changed anything about back then, I might not be sitting her with my very well mannered, independent daughter discussing what might or might not exist between her and a foreign exchange boy." Lilly gave her mother a grim smile.

"Yes, but" she trailed off. The two fell into another long silence. Her mother busied herself with the puzzle while Lilly stared a hole through the table. "You sounded almost proud of me." she finally said.

"Next weekend is Christkindlemart. Your father promised Father Lou he'd help with selling the trees down at the church and I have a double shift. I want you and Bakura to go alone." Lilly started to protest but her mother cut her off. "You'll be there to represent our family. You've got three generation of proud German-American farmers behind you and they've always gone. I'll make sure Matt and the children cover you."

"It doesn't bother you?" she asked tentatively. Mrs. Halse shook her head.

"No, I trust you and Bakura a great deal. I know several people who'll be there. I know the two of you will get there and back safe. I want the two of you to dance a polka or two for your father and I, I want you to have Lynn send us some of her honey wine. She stood and came over to lean over her daughter sliding two finger under Lilly's chin she made her look her in the eye. "I want you to have fun like a normal 16 year old girl. I want you do something , _anything_, that your father and I would disapprove of if we were to ever find out. Take a risk. That's what you cowgirls do." she kissed her daughter's forehead. "Now it's getting late and you've got tots to look after in the morning. Off you go."

Lilly went up to bed but before she went to her room she stopped in the open door way of Bakura and Ryou's room. She watch him sleeping for what seemed like years before he shifted and rolled over. Then and only then did she retreat to her own room. The next day she rose early like every Sunday. Showering and dressing then making a small breakfast for her and Bakura. They went to the church where they babysat until 11 AM after that the two went to the diner they'd gone to the first time she'd brought Bakura a long, it had become a tradition then they'd driven home and set out for the days chores. That evening they survived with only a few altercations to their planned attire. Book bags were packed and in the trunk of the car, lunches were waiting in the fridge or money on nightstands. Lilly had only one worry left. She had to ask Bakura to the Christmas celebration without it sounding like a date, which it obviously wasn't.


	21. Just Waiting

-1**A/N: Oh Merlin! Shoot me! You people have the right to e-mail, IM, or hunt me down, and pester me into writing. I don't have anyone off reading this so I don't have daily e-mails or phone calls from friends demanding that I write more. Okay, I'm writing now! I'll post this tonight crosses fingers hopefully. Today is 6-24-06, I've got an inner and outer ear ache and the meds I'm on keep me awake so I'll get this chapter finished in a few minutes go order pizza do my animals and then write the next chapter. If I don't get at least one chapter up a month I want you people to find me! I'm sooo ashamed of myself. Okay now on with it already! Love ya Sarah**

**Review Response: Marik:** HEY glad you're still reading! I was afraid I'd lost everyone with the last chapter. We were driving down the road the other day and Mom's lenses fell out of her glasses, I didn't even realize how random it really is and I've been wearing glasses since I was 18 months old.

**Just Waiting**

Ryou would have hit his alarm had it not been Lilly. She'd already been up for hours he honestly wondered if she slept at all. However, according to Serena she had a load on her mind so he obediently slid out of his bunk and shook his yami awake. The two stumbled about for a few minutes getting shoes and socks on, brushing out their nearly unmanageable white locks, and brushing their teeth. When they finally got down stairs Lilly was sitting at the table rolling up her blue rubber ducky pajama bottoms and shoving her feet down in knee high rubber boots.

"Eat. I'm gonna go out and hay and break the ice. When Matt and Mandy finally decide to show up come get me.," she said shrugging on her carhart coat and leaving them.

"Ry, babe, do me a quickie?" Serena asked walking by with her toothbrush sticking out the corner of her mouth, her hair still up in curlers and hideous Cookie Monster slippers on her feet.

"Yea, what you need?" she slid the cordless phone out from between her ear and her shoulder and handed it to him.

"I'll be right back it's Suteki, she's talking about that guy, what's his name? You know the one she's in Spanish with." then she was gone. Bakura cocked his brow as he settled in over his toast a smirk spread across his face.

"Ry?" Suteki's voice greeted him and he grunted in the receiver and skirted around Bakura to the toaster. "It's horrible! He's going to skip classes today so he doesn't have to go to the dance Friday. But that's not the worse part! I heard from his sister's best friend's ex-boyfriend's cousin that he hit a dog!"

"The world's not going to end over one dog Ki-Ki." Justin yelled passing Ryou to rinse his cup in the sink.

"Give the phone to that boy." Ryou obliged and Justin took off to the living room with the phone.

"Hey Ryou." Bakura said looking up from his plate. "You're whipped."

"Shut up." He said shoving his 'brother's' chair into the table.

When Mandy and Matt arrived Bakura ran out baseball bat in hand, to deal with Sam should he decide to come around, to get Lilly. It wasn't twenty minutes before they were all loaded in their two cars and on their way. During homeroom, three girls were sent to the office to wait for their parents to bring something suitable for them to where. After that, classes slid on uninterrupted. In fact the following day, hippie costumes, went on without any real occurrence. Ryou was even beginning to think that they might be able to get through the week scot-free.  
"I don't care Lillian Ann; our folks are never going to let you dress like that."

"I used to all the time. Or did you forget this is show clothes?" Lilly yelled back at her brother. Somehow her dad had gotten out to work already and her mom worked the previous night and therefore wasn't home yet.

"You were…. What ten? There's a difference a ten year old is cute, you….You are my baby sister." Justin was loud but wasn't yelling he somehow managed to keep his voice calm and level, though sitting down stairs around the kitchen table you could still hear the dangerous edge.

"I'm _not_ a baby. I don't need you to dress me. So back off!" a door slam stomping then Queen's Fat Bottom Girls began to blare from Lilly's room.

"Matt, please?" Serena sighed letting her head slip between her hands and smack the table.

"Not my place Sis." he said ruffling her hair as he passed to let Gretz in.

"I'll go up, but I was with her when she got the thing I don't see what's so bad about it." Bakura offered.

"If she were you little sister you would." Matt called from the mudroom.

"FAT BOTTOM GIRLS YOU MAKE THE ROCKIN' WORLD GO 'ROUND!" Lilly's voice actually rang out over the music.

"Serena, come with me." Mandy said standing up and taking Serena by the wrist.

The two disappeared upstairs at the same moment Matt and Gretz came bounding in. The three boys set, by habit, to the dishes and by the time all the breakfast dishes were finished some sort of compromise had been made and the other four joined them. Ryou couldn't see where her outfit had changed any. She was still wearing tight hugging jeans with the black leather chaps, bright red cowboy boots, and a black button up shirt with a collar, on her head perched a black cowboy hat that she'd stuck a red bird's feather in. Justin looked like he'd lost a war dressed similarly to his sister. For the most part the group looked like they'd walked off the set of a western. Bakura seemed overly pleased with himself for having learned to walk on the slick floor with the cowboy boots. Somehow, he'd even managed to find a pair of spurs that clicked against the ground as he walked.

"We ready young'uns?" Lilly asked giving Bakura a pointed look. Ryou didn't know what it meant but his yami jumped to his feet, and in one fluid movement had slung his pack over his shoulder and started out the door. Lilly followed quickly behind him. After a few moments of calamity, gathering backpacks, shoving on boots, grabbing coats, and trading hats to better match their clothes the others join the pair in the cars.

"Whatever, long as I don't have to wear this." Bakura was saying as Ryou slid into the back seat next to Serena. Serena gave him a wicked little grin.

"Told you," she mouthed to him as she buckled up. Giving the engine one last reeve they peeled out of the drive.

English, Geometry, Spanish, and Social Studies were first up for Ryou and Lilly; they slid through them barely noticed which Lilly pointed out as soon as she joined him at the door at the end of every class. Then they had lunch, which was its usual, peppy girls sat not far off gossiping, Lilly and Bakura spoke in hushed tones about their weekend plans, which the whole group knew, but they didn't know they did, and Serena sat next to Suteki and him as the three talked about what they had planned for Christmas break. Half way through lunch though Ted, or as the foot ball teams fan club called him, the Bear walked up and squatted down next to Lilly the whole group strained to hear what he was saying.

"Look, it's not a big deal or nothing. Jus' my sister, ya know, wants you to come, and the 'rents will be outta town, so it's a party," he was saying. Lilly gave him a look, which to those who didn't know it looked like she was thinking on something, but if you knew her; you knew she was just humoring you.

"You know I'd love to baby sit your sister, but vandalizing your parents home while their out of town doesn't sound pleasant especially with your little sister in the house. So, I'll have to decline." she turned back to Bakura, "So, anyway, it's like this little mini village one weekend a year. Cute and cozy with for those 21 plus, tons of booze."

"I don't think you understand Halse," Ted interrupted, "this is a jock's party. You're never going to be invited to another one of these with the losers you hang with. I'm giving you an in here." Lilly cast him a bored glance.

"No, you don't understand Ted. I'm above you. I know what I want and how to get it. I know where I'm going, and have zero interest in breaking into Daddy's liquor and screw everything that moves. You want to eff the world go ahead and do it. But leave me out. I'm not going to your party and I don't want an in. Get it?" Ted looked stunned for half a second then standing up he took one last blow.

"I forgot you already did all that." and walked off. Lilly looked near tears when the bell rang. Ryou had heard bits and pieces of her life story but not enough to understand what Ted had meant and she wasn't waiting up on him. She slammed her tray into the garbage, and stomped off down the hall. He tried to keep up but lost her when she turned into the girls restrooms.

At home, that evening Lilly rushed through her chores and homework, and then disappeared in her room. For the rest of the evening sappy songs by some artist Serena and Suteki claimed to be Billy Gilman, seeped from under the door. Bakura and Matt made separate attempts to get her to come out but she didn't even acknowledge that they'd knocked. Bakura even went in the room and lay on her bed but she was immersed in some website and didn't give him the slightest glance. Mrs. Halse fixed dinner and Mr. Halse kept them all away from Lilly claiming all she needed was a little room.

Matt, Mandy, Suteki, and Chris all went home just before dinner leaving the house feeling empty. Ryou and Serena wasted time watching TV, the teachers weren't bothering assigning homework this week, beyond study for this test or that. They were all intent on finishing up and not starting another section. Ryou didn't usually like to watch this much TV but Serena said it was studying pop culture. Therefore, he sat through three hours of Fox before he finally gave up and went to find a book.

The following morning Lilly was sitting in the driver's seat in maroon scrubs, Serena next to her wearing a business suit. Bakura and Ryou didn't know what they wanted to be Bakura never having had to consider this before and Ryou having spent a lot of time involved in some plot to takeover the world, at his yami's hands of course, to have put much thought to the idea. The rest of the gang was dressed nicely but no major change from their daily clothing. Justin wanted to be a sports reporter, Matt wanted to be an elementary school teacher, Mandy claimed she was going to be a fashion designer; Serena wanted to be an attorney. Lilly made no sign that yesterday's upset had happened. She joked with them on the way to school and through classes managed to stay in a generally good mood. However, she had told Ryou and Chris she really wanted to just walk into her last class a little late so she wouldn't have to attend the dance the following day.

When Ted and her crossed paths there was this heated energy that popped up between them. Chris looked at him bobbing his eyebrows up and down trying for all he was worth to look suggestive but only managing to look like he belonged on Nick Jr. Some of the guys that followed Ted, worshiping the ground he walked on hissed and made inappropriate noises when they saw Lilly. If Lilly reacted at all to them, it was only to flip them the bird.

When the last class finished Friday, Lilly, Chris, and Ryou were ready to run. There had been some attempt to get dates for the dance, but most of them had been a flop and their group hadn't been approached nor had they approached anyone. Chris had resigned the night before to tell Ryou that lepers don't date. Mrs. Historyisfun hugged a few of the students and told them to be safe over break before letting them scatter out into the hall. It was as if a dam had broken! Girls rushed for lockers and then to bathrooms with bags, boys looked desperate for an exit. Some of the lucky kids who had been 'bad' went to gather in the computer lab. Lilly watched after then longingly as the trio waited for the rest of their group.

Just as Mandy, Matt, Bakura, and Justin came into view, Ted blocked them. He grabbed Lilly's arm and started tugging her away. She tried to stand still but Ted gave her a pleading look. Ryou knew before she said it. That she was going to go with him.

"If I'm not back in five minutes send out a search party," she whispered in his ear when she finally gave in. The two were quickly lost in the sea of students. Ryou had no idea what to say to the others. But was saved by Chris.

"She'll be back in just a second. Why don't you guys go in. I'll wait for her." Angelica, the newspaper's photographer came up her camera hanging from her neck.

"Chrissy, can I have the first dance?" Ryou watch the conflict in his eyes.

"You kids go have fun I'll wait on Lils." Bakura said thrusting them all down the hall.

**A/N: yea I know its short but I have to go and want to at least give you something. Remember: hunt me down if there's no word from me in 1 month. Review!**


	22. Things We Shouldn't Do

-1**A/N:** You people are BAD VERY BAD!…. -hangs head- No, I can't put this off on you not keeping up on me. I deserve to be tortured slowly for leaving you all hanging the way I have, but PLEASE if I must be tortured can Bakura do it? I have full intentions of completing this fic SOON! I want it off my mind, and should I pick up reviewers again, who are interested I do have an outline for sequel but that is up to you people, WHOM I LOVE!

**Dedication:** To my daughters Mattea and Katie! Love you both dearly! You were the inspiration behind most of this chapter and the jokes that only you are likely to get. Oh and Tubby Bob Tasty and I are getting along great, he's perfectly edible! -giggles- Can't wait for you to come back over 'Tea!

**Things We Shouldn't Do**

Lilly allowed herself to be led into an empty class room, Ted closed the door behind them. Knowing the others weren't far off she didn't bother with the small spike of her adrenaline. Ted turned around and watched her, obviously hoping she'd do the girly thing and start conversation. "You really think you're above me?"

"In some ways, I know I am. Other's I'm just like you, but mostly I'm just beyond you." she answered with a shrug folding her arms over her chest and leaning back into one of the desks.

"Look," he said after a moment, starting to pace. "I k now you had a rough spot and made some really bad choices, but do you really have to punish yourself forever because of that?"

"My sister nearly died!" she half screamed, this was the one topic she'd rather die than get into. Reigning herself in, she spoke again, "I think a little repenting is the least I can do, to make up for that."

"Repenting doesn't mean no fun for the rest of your life. You did your job you got clean, you've brought your grades back up, you're a freaking saint at the church. My sister worships you, God, Lilly you're done. Come have fun with me, I promise no booze." He held up his hands showing he had only innocent intentions, which she didn't buy for a second.

"I have fun, Theodore, I just measure it and keep it very clean."

"Fun isn't meant to be measured. I'll keep the party clean, too. So give me one good reason you can't come?"

"I already have plans this weekend," she said pulling out her final card.

"With who?"

"Bakura and I are going out," the moment the words were out of her mouth she wanted them rephrased. Ted glared at her growling something under his breath, before turning sharply, fists clenched, and stormed out. Lilly waited until she was sure he was gone before leaving. Bakura was leaned again the lockers where she'd left the others. He smirked viciously at her when she approached. On a whim she greeted her white haired companion, "Hello, Tomb Robber."

"Lady of the Nile," he nodded with a grim smile. "So, tell me, what are you willing to do to get out of this charade?"

"I stop just short of murder," she teased.

"Hmm," he hummed giving the hall leading to the dance and assessing glance. "I say we go look into license plate theft, I don't know about you but this town is too quiet."

Until the final bell rang Bakura and Lilly loitered in the parking lot. Minor vandalism to a few cars may have been blamed on them if Lilly didn't have such a good girl rap. Matt and Justin gave them both disappointed glares when they were released. Lilly just slugged their shoulders as she passed taking the keys from her brother's hand and waved for Bakura to take the passenger seat.

"Dude!" Serena shrieked swinging a stick like a light saber, "Back fowl beast!" Ryou stayed in the barn, behind her waiting on Son of Sam to walk away. The wood connected with the feathery body and the bird was sent flying. "I hate to do that, but you gave me no choice." she rested the stick on her shoulder standing like a proud warrior watching her enemy jump up, shake itself, and run off to regroup. Sam's hens and Crooked Wings followed after him squawking as they waddled away.

"Is Lilly serious about teaching us to shoot Sunday?" he asked stepping out into the biting wind to trail Serena down the hill. The brunet nodded turning her back the wind, walking backwards to talk with him.

"If its not snowing," she frowned. "You too will disappear in the snow. Too damn pale, I thought all the sun we gave you would darken you up a bit… I might just tie a orange flag to your head."

"Hahaha," he rolled his eyes at his friend. She smiled at him winking in letting him know she really didn't mean it. "What is a Christkindlemart?" He wasn't clear on what it was, the internet hadn't been open for private research the past week as Lilly and Bakura were keeping a very close eye on a Kiaba Corp Tournament that both Yugi and Seto were in. But they'd both left for this festival shortly after breakfast and no one expected them home until nightfall. Well better put, they'd been threatened with bodily harm if they returned before nightfall. Ryou hadn't needed his mental link to Bakura to know this pissed his yami off.

"A German festival to celebrating Christmas, its loads of fun. Lils and I used to dance for it, and the last two years we were pastry girls." She closed her eyes sighing dreamily, "Have you ever had a fresh from the oven cream puff?" She imitated Homer Simpson drooling "Creeeaaaam puffs."

"Cream puffs?" he asked almost hopeful.

"Know what?" she slammed her foot into the edge of the frozen barn door making it screech open. "I think we'll have to make some later." Serena grinned crookedly at him.

"Sere!" he grabbed her hand diving into the goat barn, slamming the door shut behind them. The crowing of Son of Sam was eased through the door. "Can we make a chicken pot pie too?" she laughed at him, shaking her head.

"If you'll clean him, I'll cook him." she promised.

Christmas Carols played on the radio, the heater blew hot, toxic air at them, and to keep from keeling over from the fumes they'd cracked the widows. Between them knotted together were their coats, Lilly's sleeves were shoved up to her elbows, and she hunched over the steering wheel peering out through the thick snowfall. Distracting her could mean black ice and a phone pole through his chest, so Bakura kept a watchful eye out for signs of danger and leaned back into the cracked leather seat of the beat up old ford. The DJ interrupted the steady stream of music with commercials and a traffic update before putting them back to their festive tunes. Out of nowhere a crowded parking lot appeared and the tension Lilly had been holding evaporated. They cut a left turn pulling into the lot, stopping almost immediately as a tall heavily garbed man in a ski mask came up to Lilly's window.

"Damn it!" the man grinned pressing gloved hands under his arms. "Hell did freeze over! Hans'll flip to know the devil herself has come."

"Johan, stuff it and park me. You're letting the heat out," Lilly's voice had a teasing quality with a razor sharp edge she usually reserved for Matt.

"Up the hill park with the rest the dancers," he winked. "Look forward to seeing you on the floor, Halse." he patted the truck's side and she pulled forward to inch up a tall hill.

"What's he mean dancers?"

"Serena and I used to dance, Bavarian folk music and costumes. I dropped it this year Ree quit few years back," Lilly tugged her coat free after parking. She nodded for him to put his on and locked the doors. "We'll stay an hour or two then we can do whatever you want. There's nothing too interesting here." they walked a little ways toward a large circus tent. "I heard there's a nice horror film in based around the Christmas holiday." Bakura nodded liking the sounds of this, maybe Frosty, Rudolph, and Santa would finally get what was coming to their jolly asses.

They needed their coats and then a big reflective shield to keep off all the people that crashed on them. Many knew Lilly and they'd be stuck in small talk for several minutes before they could move on. The festival was in a circus tent, someone played happy polka music laced with more carols on an accordion from the stage. Booths of food, arts, and crafts, lined the walls, from the liquor booth women in low cut brightly colored dresses called out with promises of hot drinks that would keep you warm. Men huddled together around a radio listening to the game and telling tall tales they swore to be the absolute truth, mostly. Belly rolling laughs erupted from those deep in their drinks sitting on unsteady chairs watching the entertainment, fatty half eaten chickens in their laps, potato pancakes walked by wrapped in napkins tucked into the hands of pudgy faced children.

"OI!" Bakura found himself jolted from Lilly's side, where he was trying to keep to desperately, by two boys dressed in funny leather short overalls and a girl in a red dress with elaborate embroidery. "Lils!" the green eyed brunet patted the arm that was suddenly around her chest as she was hugged from behind. "I didn't think you'd come," one of the boys with light hair and eyes said resting his head in the crook of her neck.

"Hans, get off." Lilly struggled free of his grasp reaching for Bakura and tugging him back to her side. "Hans, Christian, Heidi, this is Bakura. He's staying with my family." The girl he assumed to be Heidi looked him over with a critical eye before nodded with a smile.

"Cute, little…lean for my tastes, but cure." she said lacing her fingers with the darker boy, Christian. Christian was muscular, probably a line backer or the likes, more brawn than brain, but he smiled approvingly toward him so Bakura didn't fret. Christian on the other hand had a glare fixed on him, and was trying to move around to keep Lilly protectively in his reach. Bakura got the feeling he was trespassing on the mortal boy's territory and the though made him down right giddy. He flashed his favorite malicious grin, wrapping an arm around Lilly's waist and pulling her tight to him. He was surprised at how natural it felt, the way she fit into his side perfectly, and that she slid her finger into his belt loop.

"Lilly, we're short a girl, can you fill in?" Hans asked his voice becoming stronger and clearer as he reinforced his stance. "Just doing one set," he practically begged.

"Can't. I wouldn't want to leave, Kura alone and I promised him we wouldn't be here long," she shook her head. Not wanting to be and excuse at the same time that he was delighted to be _her_ excuse he stopped her.

"No, Lil, if you want to dance. I think I can survive," he threw a careless look around at the crowd. "They don't seem to be any scarier than you," he teased, actually getting a smile out of her. Heidi nodded, her free hand toying with her skirt, she bounced with energy, which was dangerous considering one good jump and she'd spill over the top of her dress. The corset like bodice was laced tight, pushing up her small breast. Bakura turned his attention else where, knowing Lilly wouldn't let him live it down if he were caught staring.

"You sure, babe?" Lilly asked him pulling slightly at his pants, in what he knew to be a nervous movement.

"We have all day," he reminded her. "Go, have fun with your friends, as long as I'm taking you home tonight, I'll wait." Hans squirmed watching the two of them. Lilly didn't notice though her green eyes locked on his coffee ones.

"What time we go on?" she asked her friends without breaking eye contact, he felt a gentle brush of mind on mind and grasped at it quickly. Bakura held it long enough to identify that it was hers and released it again.

"Let's put it this way, if you're dancing I need to start working on you now." Heidi proved Bakura's theory wrong by pouncing Lilly. "You're dress and everything needs done up," she ran fingers through Lilly's almost raven locks and clucked. "I'm going to have hell putting these things in any sort of order. You boys keep Kura-kins busy, I'm going to go get our little lady put together." Heidi took Lilly's hand and dragged her away from him. Bakura watched after them until the crowd swallowed the girls up.

"So, what does she mean you're staying with her?"

Justin and Mandy had left for Ted's party, Matt and Chris were trimming goat hooves and tooling around in the barns, Mr. Halse was still selling trees at the church, and Mrs. Halse had called an hour ago to check on them, promising to be home before midnight. So with everyone securely preoccupied Serena called Suteki over and the three now stood in the kitchen about to mount a new adventure in the world of baking.

"Do you know how to bake?" Ryou asked worriedly tying on an apron and flipping through the family recipes for Cream Puffs.

"Yea, sure!" Serena's words lacked the confidence he'd hoped for. Suteki giggled, which worried him, as she gathered the 'duh ingredients'.

"She knows how to make charcoal cookies, bubbly cake, and explosive muffins." Ryo eyed his friend wearily, wondering how bad it would be to banish her to the table.

"Fine, party poopers, we'll just make cookies," Serena sighed, pushing herself up on the table and going to get a bag of chocolate chips from the pantry. "Think we can handle this?" Suteki nodded.

"Most definitely! I can bake cookies in my sleep, Ry, wanna grab me a mixing bowl from under the sink?"

Lilly swirled, stomping, and clapping to the beat. Her bright red dress with the simple white, green, and black stitch work around the hem only set off her green eyes. She plastered a false smile on her face, her lips painted red, eyes traced with eyeliner, and blush kissed her cheeks. Her bodice was laced as tightly as Heidi's, but she had more to push up. Bakura had suffered through the Spanish Inquisition from Christian and Hans, neither boy was impressed with his short vague answers. Lilly was on the stage, and he found his eyes glued to her. When everyone filed off stage she jumped off the front landing in front of him, her smile finally becoming real.

"Lets go, I'll change and we'll go eat." he nodded numbly and followed after her. Sweat glistened on her chest and the curls her hair had been teased into bounced as she shivered in the cold. They had to walk outside to the main building. "What'd you think, lamest thing ever?"

"No, Mouto has that title," he answered causing her to roll her eyes.

"I can't wait to get this thing off," she said lifting her skirt and twisting the slip underneath, careless of all the on lookers. "You do nice work though, ever think about making this America thing permanent and going to Hollywood? You really had Hans going, I loved it." He didn't respond, an answer wasn't really necessary. She pushed open the heavy doors and led him to the bar, parking him by an elderly man, "Stay here, I'll be right back." she hopped up to kiss his cheek, winking when his eyes questioned her.

The man he sat by just stared at him the whole time Lilly was gone, and Bakura was playing with things he'd do if he had his shadow powers when Lilly returned. Her dress boots peaked out from under form fitting blue jeans, and her V-neck sweater striped with red and white had been donned again but she hadn't straightened the curls or removed the make up. Though the lipstick and blush weren't needed he was glad that the eyeliner remained, she batted curled lashes holding out her hand, which he quickly took. He'd figured it out while she was gone, she was playing along with his game from earlier, if they were going to fool her friends they might as well lead everyone else on too.

The drive to the movie theater was as uneventful as the drive to festival, if it could really be called that. The film didn't scare either of them in the least though, he'd found Lilly sitting closer to him than usual. When the credits rolled they stood stretching and yawning, stumbling but were the only ones not bothered by the near total darkness of the theater. They moved quickly without any hinderment towards the door.

"Just a sec," Lilly said suddenly veering off toward the concession stand with their empty tub of popcorn. She smiled sweetly, and even from a distance he knew her words were sugar coated and her eyelids were heavy forcing her to look at the gangly boy through lashes, she leaned over the glass counter giving him a nearly full view down her shirt. But returned with a free bucket of popcorn and a large coke. "Now we can go,"

"What was that?" he wasn't sure if he was pissed or if he admired what she'd done.

"It's ebbing on three, an hour drive would only put us home at four, but I promised Mom I'd do something I wouldn't want her to know about." Lilly shrugged offering him the coke. He took a swig and returned it, stealing a handful of the popcorn as they walked toward the truck.

"Your mom won't find out about it right?" he asked an idea forming in his mind.

"Yea, the idea was I act up, like a normal teen."

"Okay, lets go to Walgreen's."

Ryou decided that girls were far too easily distracted by the promise of a guy in nothing but cotton pajama bottoms diving in a lake. He glared at his batter soaked bangs as they flopped in his eyes. It was going to take years before he got all the goo scraped up off the floor, walls, window, stove, sink, and of course scrubbed out of his hair. Serena, wasn't ever going to operate anything with the word "Kitchenaid" on it again. He'd actually been glad when Suteki decided to distract her with her little DVD. The pair had managed to make him burn three trays of cookies, by talking him into multitasking and dueling at the same time. Neither of them had a strong handle on the game, that or, which he believed to be more likely due to the fact that they giggled the whole time, they liked his accent and were acting like ditzy blondes just to hear him explain it all over and over.

He pulled a tray from the oven setting it up to cool and sliding in the last of their dough. A fit of giggles drew is attention toward the living room. He sidled it to stand behind the couch and watch over the girls heads as the promised scene took place. He didn't manage to keep in his question.

"Why would he do that?" It didn't make sense the George would jump in the lake, after seeing impossible, tortured, dead bodies floating there.

"Because," Suteki sighed as if this were elementary, "The hottie with the body is always better wet!" Serena tilted her head at the screen watching intently as the man pulled himself back up onto the deck.

"He'd best pull up his pants before he loses them, too." Ryou add shaking his head. This scene had to have been added to keep the female audience watching because it really didn't hold much weight with the rest of the plotline.

"George looks like Jesus," Serena said smacking her best friend's leg. Suteki groaned, and Ryou left seeing as he'd only cause their guest more trouble. Besides, he had work to do.

"You just killed George, Rena."

Lilly gawked. She hadn't expected this, she wasn't sure what she had expected but this wasn't it. They stood in the hygiene aisle between the condoms and pads, where they had some relative privacy. She looked at her pale companion and he nodded, she wanted to laugh but that wasn't an acceptable response. A clerk who'd passed them several times stopped this time to ask if they needed any help. Bakura pulled her too him, without any resistance, and smirked.

"No, we're just looking at preventatives. Got any preferences you'd like to share?" The clerk looked between the two of them, he probably had a teenager at home that he was working a part time job along side his full time just to support. Seeing the man's hesitation Bakura kissed her, and Lilly was stunned at her body's response she actually pulled him into her, demanding the kiss to deepen. It wasn't the clumsy first kiss she'd always heard of, this was natural well practiced, like they'd done it a million times and this was no different. But Bakura didn't allow it to go very far, and though she knew he'd been as hungrily involved in the kiss as she was he showed no signs of it when he returned his gaze to the clerk.

"Tro..tah.." the man sputtered before he was paged and nearly ran away from them.

"You want to do it or not?" Lilly gave the condoms a wistful glance before nodding.

"I'll do it if you will." Bakura let her go, eyeing her for a moment before agreeing.

"Of course." Ten minutes later they slammed the doors of the pick up truck and fled from the store. Once they were a safe distance away Lilly pulled the truck off the side of the road into a patch of trees and emptied her pockets. She hadn't stolen anything of significance, maybe five dollars worth of ink pens and thumbtacks. Bakura laughed at her booty, dropping his own on the car seat between them, he'd lifted a pocket knife and a pez dispenser with a Woodstock head.

"Mom, would kill me!" Lilly grinned devilishly.

Her heart was still racing and she wasn't sure what to do with herself, and then what had started her heart came back to her mind. With all the speed of a cobra she struck. Lilly had her seat belt undone and was over Bakura before he could think of a response she pressed her mouth onto his. Her lips crushing his as her fingers tangled in his hair. Never being one to be dominated Bakura bent her back toward the driver's side of the cramped cab. She moved into his every touch, her back arching when he place his hand in the small of it. Something had just been unleashed and she was inviting him inside with every movement.

There were none of the cheesy lines she'd heard in the movies, neither of them muttered anything about first times. Bakura wasn't clumsy when his fingers found her bra, instead it expertly removed the barrier, suddenly bare skin rubbed bare skin. But Lilly increasingly found she wasn't controlling herself. It was nearly the same feeling from the dreams, she possessed, at least, the memories of another life. A hard life on desert plains, stealing from the dead to survive, and constantly chasing after the King of Thieves. When Bakura spoke it wasn't her name it was Norfret, and she knew this meant he too was lost in another life.

When it was over, and they scurried to dress and get back on the road neither spared the other a look. But with unreal clarity she still remembered Norfret's life. She could recall days in Egypt just as easily as she could days on the farm. A thought hit her then, and she didn't want to lose it. She couldn't let it go, so she posed the only question that would set her free.

"I know this is going to sound crazy, but is it possible to remember a past life?" Bakura looked at her sideways, and swallowed. She'd never seen him actually look nervous, and she saw the glint of gold, remembering the sharp stabbing around her breasts while they were tangled, he hadn't removed that damn talisman of his.

"Yes."

"You said that a soul could be old because it was locked in an object, like a genie in a bottle, were you?" Lilly was afraid of the answer and Bakura hesitated to give one.

"You're not crazy, but you'd be better off to believe you are. The people who know the truth get hurt," his voice was sincere when if finally came. Lilly nodded slowly and brushed her thumb over the steering wheel, she'd just given it up to a spirit or something, she expected to feel enraged but instead she just felt like things had finally clicked into place. Since his arrival she'd found a discovery she'd made years ago was much easier, she could reach out and touch minds with her own it made sense now. He'd sparked the newer dream/memories that had been coming, with them her ability to use her mind touch had grown, and now after having… After what had just happened she knew it all, she understood what was going on as well as she could hope.

"Why?"

"Because, that's how this game works. We're not genies either, we don't grant wishes. We're just spirits," he sighed and touched the ring that hung from his neck. "There are a few of us, our souls were locked in certain items that hold magical abilities. The idea was that fate would release us again to reenact a battle we already participated in. Our roles are already chosen." He grabbed her hand suddenly. "Lilly, you have to believe me, if I could change this I would, of all people I'd never want Norfret to be in this all again. You can't imagine what her role was last time." Lilly bit her lip, she did know, she didn't need to imagine.

"She died. Sacrificed her life so you could get away. She wanted you to live even if she couldn't," she looked from the road to their entwined hands.

"And I sought revenge; revenge for everything that had to happen after our village was burned."

**A/N: Okay, so this is hopefully long enough for you. It's 1 am, my internet is off but will be fixed tomorrow sometimes so I'll try and put this up then. I know I couldn't post last time I was on; chapters wouldn't upload. Hope I threw you a few curve balls you hadn't expected, Lilly and Bakura sure threw me one. I'm starting to think that sequel will have to happen. **


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